


Never really over

by Miss_Kath90



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Addiction, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Mutual Pining, Power Dynamics, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:54:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 77,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26638408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Kath90/pseuds/Miss_Kath90
Summary: Sabrina Spellman wanted nothing more than to have a normal life and to achieve it, she accidentally had caused a time paradox that had allowed two of her to coexist in the same timeline.One, living in Greendale with her family and friends. The other, reigning over the infernal court in Hell.She could finally have (almost) everything she ever wanted but nothing in Sabrina's life was simple or normal…A new threat looms over Greendale.And she would need all the help she could get to stop it.Especially Nicholas Scratch's, even though every time they were in the same room the weight of their shattered romance filled the air and threatened with crush them.
Relationships: Nicholas Scratch/Sabrina Spellman
Comments: 213
Kudos: 158





	1. We must face our decisions

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> Here I am again, I must admit that this project scares me a little. Maybe it’s too ambitious… I don’t know, but I couldn't get the idea out of my head so, I had to write it.  
> This is the first time I attempt to write a long fic in the series universe and I don’t know what will turn out. I hope it’s something good.  
> Be prepare for a lot of angst… But I promise a happy ending.  
> As always, thank you Alovinghexe for accompany me in this new adventure.

Sabrina was standing on the bank of the river, occasionally the water brushed against her bare feet. The gentle summer breeze ruffled the hem of her sundress and the warmth of the sun made her skin tingle. She closed her eyes enjoying the sounds that filled the place, the wind swinging the leaves on the branches of the trees, the birds singing, the laughter of her friends mixed with the splash of the water. A smile spread across her lips.

 _This_. This was what she had always wanted.

Or at least part of it.

It felt almost like a lifetime since she had had fun with her friends without having to worry about anything. There were no threats to face or kingdoms to save, she could finally dedicate herself to what she wanted most, her family, her friends...

And even so, she still felt that something was missing. That _someone_ was missing.

Her smile wobbled a little. She didn't like the route her thoughts were beginning to take but she knew there was very little she could do to prevent it.

She snapped her eyes open when someone thrown water on her face.

"Theo!" she exclaimed accusingly looking at the culprit, he smiled at her in a mischievous way, not a trace of regret on his face.

“Hey, you can’t blame me!” Theo said with his hands up, mischievousness still shinning in his eyes “You looked so distracted, technically you were asking for it!”

She narrowed her eyes towards him.

"Don't give me excuses. You did it because you wanted to, now you'll have to prepare for my revenge..."

Theo gave her one last smile before heading back into the river. Sabrina tried to hang on to that, in the sound of laughter, the fun, not in the memories that were like clouds that threatened to cover the sun. She entered the river without caring about her already wet dress.

She laughed watching as Roz and Harvey splashing each other but her laugh lasted only until they noticed her presence and she became their new target.

The friends spent the afternoon between laughter, splashes of water and Theo’s futile attempts to sink one of them in the water. Sabrina’s stomach ached from so much laughter, she couldn't remember a moment in the last months when she had had so much fun or been so happy like in that moment.

Except that she could, but those memories were now colored by something else. Something she didn't like to think about.

“Why don’t we go for some milkshakes at Cee’s?” Roz suggested to her friends.

Theo and Harvey immediately agreed to the idea but Sabrina remained silent.

“’Brina?” she looked up when she heard Harvey calling her “Are you coming with us?”

Sabrina nibbled her lower lip undecided, she really wanted to go with her friends and spend more time together. Last year had stolen them so much that she felt the need to get it back by spending as much time as possible with them but she also had other commitments to fulfill.

“I would love to, but my aunt Zelda needs me at the Academy tonight and I promised her I’ll be there.”

Also, she had already come up with too many excuses to not show up there in the last month.

She couldn't keep avoiding the place forever. She couldn't keep avoiding _him_ forever.

Roz nodded understandingly.

“How is everything going there?” she asked to her friend, Sabrina shrugged one shoulder.

“As well as it could I guess. The coven is still adjusting to the fact that we now worship the triple goddess.” She was adjusting to it too, to this new cult to Hecate or, as she had said and her aunt Zelda preferred, the triple goddess.

“Well, it must be difficult, right?” Roz commented as the group started to walk towards the woods “Go from worshiping… well, literally the devil to...”

“An ancient goddess we hardly even knew something about it?” Sabrina supplied and her friends nodded “Yes, it’s a bit complicated.”

They walked in silence, listening to the forest sounds, until they reached an unmarked crossroads. Sabrina have to continue left towards the Academy and her friends towards right back to town.

“I’ll leave you guys here.” Sabrina told them.

They started walking but before they were too far, Roz turned around.

“Tomorrow at the Paramount?” she shouted.

Sabrina nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” there was no way she would miss a double feature with her best friends “See you there!” she added with a wave of her hand. They waved back at her.

She waited until Roz, Theo and Harvey disappeared from her view before heading to the Academy, her steps were a bit slower than usual, as if her body refused to go there. She took her time in her walk, enjoying the summer breeze and the light of the dying sun.

She stopped on her tracks when the Academy building came into view.

She hadn’t expected to see him there, sitting on the stair leading to the front door, staring at something she was unable to see.

There was no way to avoid him, even if she wanted with all her bleeding heart being able to.

Sabrina took a deep breath and clenched her hands into fists before walking towards the entrance of the building. She tried to ignore the fact that her heart was beating faster than usual.

Nick looked up when he heard someone’s footsteps approaching. Sabrina stopped, still some feet away from him. His gaze still made her feel things she didn't want to feel.

“Sabrina.”

“Hi.” She said a little too fast. 

There was a certain tension in the air, in every one of their scarce interactions, and Sabrina didn’t like it. Her relationship with Nick had always been so _easy_ , natural even… And now, she couldn’t say which one of them was the more uncomfortable seeing the other.

But she still felt other kind of tension every time she was around him. That pull towards him she was barely able to resist.

She doubted they could be friends now, not after everything that had happened between them. Not after the pain, not after all the things he said and all the things she said.

And it still hurt. Seeing him and not being able to touch him.

It hadn’t taken her long to realize the candle spell Prudence had told her about was nothing more than child’s play. Making your feelings disappear wasn’t as simple as burning a candle wick, not even for a witch. And yet, she had tried to because the pain was almost unbearable.

And then, in that future that her actions had caused, she had seen him turned to stone and all the feelings that she believed to have buried had resurfaced and now they threatened to drown her.

Neither of them knew what to say, neither of them knew how to act around the other now, so they just looked at each other for a long minute. Sabrina thought that even if she loved him, even if he still loved her there was no hope for them.

He had hurt her, but Sabrina had to admit that she hurt him too.

They were broken beyond salvation. She knew all this, but even when she knew they could never be the same they were, her heart still refused to let go.

Sabrina tried to smile at him, a friendly smile, a polite smile, but she could feel the tightness at the corners of her lips.

“Ehh… I’d better go in or my aunt will kill me for being late.” Nick simply nodded, his eyes still fixed on her “Well… See you around.”

She didn’t wait to hear a reply from him and walked the few steps that separated her from the building with her heartbeat still ringing in her ears.

Sabrina took a deep breath trying to contain the tears she felt picking at her eyes. She knew he wasn’t well, not yet, he still suffered but even if she wanted nothing more than erase his pain, wrap him in her arms and tell him everything was going to be ok, she couldn’t.

He didn’t want her around anymore. He wanted, he needed to be alone.

And even if it hurt she was going to respect his decision. At least she owed him that.

She walked to her aunt’s office with her heart still aching, she didn’t bother to knock and just opened the door even though she knew how much this bothered her aunt.

“Sabrina,” Zelda said “would you mind knocking on the door the next time?”

“Sorry, auntie.” her aunt could say she wasn’t sorry at all “I’m here as you asked.”

“You could have at least changed your clothes.” Zelda commented looking her up and down, Sabrina’s dress was still a bit wet. She raised an eyebrow towards her aunt and would swear she heard her snort “Tonight I’m going to reveal the statue of the goddess to the coven, at least you should dress properly for the occasion.”

Sabrina nodded slowly and before her aunt could say anything more she turned on her heel, when she returned to her initial position, her clothes were different. Dry.

“Better?” she asked. Her aunt nodded before sitting behind her desk.

“Sit,” Zelda instructed her “we need to talk.”

Sabrina looked at her aunt hoping that she would say something else, but Zelda didn’t. She lit herself a cigarette and took a drag before pointing the chair again. Sabrina took a sit and waited for her aunt to talk but she seemed more interesting in the smoke coming out the tip of her cigarette.

“What do you want to tell me, auntie?”

“It’s time for you to resume your education.”

Her niece looked at her confused.

“I’m studying,” she replied “at Baxter High.”

“I mean your studies here.” Sabrina opened her mouth to argue but her aunt ignored her and continued talking “With everything that has happened these last few months you have neglected your studies a lot.”

“Is really necessary?” this time it was Zelda’s turn to raise an eyebrow asking her to elaborate her argument “Auntie, I don’t think there is much I can learn here… There are practically no teachers left and…”

“You don’t even finish your first year, Sabrina, of course there are many things you can still learn here.”

“But auntie…”

“Does this reluctance to resume your studies have something to do with the fact that Mr. Scratch is also here?”

For a second Sabrina though about saying yes but she refrained in the last second. She preferred to keep that to herself.

She shook her head denying but something in her aunt’s gaze told her she didn’t quite believe her.

“Nick has nothing to do with this. We are… _friends_.” Another lie “I just… I just thought that with everything that happened…”

“You still have a lot to learn, Sabrina.” her aunt insisted “You are on summer break from Baxter High, I think there is no impediment for you to catch up on your studies here before the next term starts.”

“What?” she exclaimed “You won’t expect me to spend the whole summer locked up here.”

“Of course not, just a couple of hours every day will do. You have a lot to catch up with.”

“Auntie…” Sabrina almost begged.

“This is my final decision, Sabrina.” Zelda insisted, she looked directly into her niece’s eyes “You still had a lot to learn. These are times of uncertainty and you need to be ready. Yes, we were able to stop the threat of the pagans but we don't know what may come next. We almost lost our powers, for Hell’s sake!”

“Yeah, but what does that have to do with me resuming my studies here?”

"We are a different coven now, a new coven. We no longer worship the Dark Lord and what do you think will happen when the other covens find out?" Sabrina shrugged “They may try to destroy us. So we need to reconnect with the older ways…”

“You are not suggesting that we eat each other again, are you?”

“This is serious, Sabrina. We need to learn again, different rituals, different spells. You can no longer banish a demon in _his_ name. We need to learn from other types of witchcraft. I won’t let us be threatened again and knowledge is the only thing that is going to protect us.”

Sabrina fell silent, pondering all the implications of what her aunt had just said. She couldn't deny that she was right, they were still vulnerable and, despite having heavenly blood in her veins, she was still a witch.

A young witch. Barely a child in her coven eyes.

She had to do everything in her power to protect them, even if it meant having to spend most of the what was left of the summer locked up within the walls of the Academy.

“I understand.” She finally said “I will resume my studies but you have to give me the chance to spend some days with my friends. At least give me that.”

“Sabrina…”

“It is my only condition, and it’s not negotiable, auntie.”

“Sometimes I wonder how you came out so stubborn.” Zelda mumbled, Sabrina gave her a meaningful look. She was just like her. After all, she had raised Sabrina to be a strong and independent woman, capable of asserting her opinion and defend it at all costs just like her.

“You were saying, auntie…?” Sabrina asked with a smug smile on her lips.

“You will be the death of me.” Zelda said with a snort, she put out her cigarette in the ashtray in front of her before getting up to smooth out the wrinkles that only she saw in her impeccable suit. Sabrina stood up too, aware that the conversation was over.

“We better go.” Zelda said to Sabrina “We’re running late for the ceremony.”

She nodded looking out the window, saw how the sun began to set and darkness began to take over the sky. She didn't know why but a chill ran down her spine, shaking her head she walked towards the door to follow her aunt.

They headed towards the foyer. In the center, where the statues of Baphomet and the infamous Faustus Blackwood had once stood, covered in a heavy black velvet cloth was another effigy waiting to be revealed to the coven.

As the High Priestess stood in front of the new statue all the conversations in the room died, Sabrina took her place among the other students and few members of the coven. On the other side of the foyer, Hilda gave her a warm smile.

“Members of the coven,” Zelda started to say, her loud voice resonated in the room “for none of you is it unknown that these last few weeks have been difficult. We have been threatened but we have won thanks to the power and protection of the triple goddess, Hecate, to who we will now raise our prayers and praises. She will guide our path from now on.”

Without further ado, she tugged at the cloth to reveal the statue. The triple goddess stood in the middle of the foyer with her three faces and her symbols in each hand. The torch, the key, the knife. All the eyes were on the statue.

“Great mother Hecate,” Zelda started to pray, the other voice began slowly to join her “guardian of the eternal time. Secret face of the goddess, I invoke your protection tonight so that you keep my spirit form doubt and fear. Create power in me. Create strength in me. So be it.”

* * *

Sabrina looked down at her perfect nails.

She wasn’t really paying attention to the demon in front of her. He was a lesser demon who had been pleading his case for about fifteen minutes and she couldn’t be more bored of listening to him.

The demon stopped talking when he noticed that he had lost the queen’s attention.

“That’s all?” she asked at the sudden silence in the room “You are finally done?”

“Uh… no, no, but your majesty… well,” he stammered, rubbing his hands as he looked at her with his head bowed awkwardly.

“Oh, enough of this.” With a slight move of her wrist the demon exploded into ashes in front of the stunned gaze of the rest of the court “He was boring me.” Was Sabrina’s only explanation, not that she needed one, she was the queen after all.

The courtiers burst into laughter and cheers. She tried to suppress a snort of boredom. She hated those afternoon when she had to hold court.

She hated the court, the courtiers. She hated the palace.

But she loved power.

“This court is dismissed.” Sabrina announced in a tone of voice some habitants of Hell had started to fear. She was starting to talk like a real queen.

Raising from her throne of gold, the demons in the room make their way to her as she walked towards the door, her high heels clanging against the marble floor.

Lucifer, who had been watching the scene leaning against one of the columns in the room, also applauded her.

“Well done, daughter, well done.” He said but she noticed a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

“Thank you… _father_.” she still did not get used to saying that to him, but she was trying. She also knew how much it bothered him when she called him father in public “Now if you’ll excuse me. I have things to do.”

“Souls to torture, perhaps?”

“Exactly.” She answered with fake enthusiasm before leaving the hall.

Sometimes she had mixed feelings about her decision.

Time moved in a strange way in Hell. She had no idea how long it had been since she decided to leave Greendale to become the queen of Hell. When she preferred power over her family and friends.

Over him.

Sometimes she missed them. She missed aunt Hilda’s warm hugs or aunt Zelda’s scathing words. She missed so many things.

But she had already made a decision and there was not turning back.

Sabrina leaned her back against the heavy door of her chambers and closed her eyes, she could feel tears burning behind her eyelids, she took a deep breath to keep them at bay.

Queens were not allowed to cry.

Her room was large but at the moment it felt small and claustrophobic. She needed to get out of there. But walking through the palace gardens did not bring her any comfort, she could still feel the slight smell of sulfur in the air, she still heard the scream of the damned being tortured. There was no escape for her.

Sabrina would never admit it but sometimes she felt alone. So, _so_ alone.

There was no one to talk to there. She barely tolerated Lucifer, his extensive knowledge of the ways of Hell and its laws were the only reason that made her approach to him. And even though long ago she had trusted Lilith, she couldn't do it anymore.

The hierarchy of hell was malicious and only approached her when they wanted something from her.

Sometimes, deep into the night, when the heavy dresses were gone and the makeup had been wiped from her face, she would think about how much she missed Greendale.

But the power was intoxicating and she didn't think she was capable of giving it up, not when she felt it grow day by day, running through her veins, tickling in her skin.

She liked being Sabrina Morningstar. She liked being this powerful young woman, reigning over an entire kingdom. She liked having hordes of demons and hellhounds willing to do her bidding.

Sabrina didn't realize that her wandering around Hell had taken her to the place where it all began. The ninth circle. She thought it was an appropriate place, after all, the great traitors of history were there turned into stone, and hadn't she betrayed everything she believed in for a throne?

Nick was right when he told her she was no longer the Sabrina Spellman he knew.

Sabrina Morningstar had taken her place.

“But if it is none other than our beautiful queen.”

Confusion was written on Sabrina's features upon hearing that voice.

“Caliban?” she asked approaching to the stone where her counterpart had told her he was, ready to trick her to get the silver coins and take over the infernal throne.

“The one and only.”

“But how...?” she asked, watching the stone transform until it showed his face.

That brought to her mind a nightmare that she preferred not to remember.

“I'm not going to say that I haven't been trying to escape all this time. But this is the most I have ever achieved.”

“Even if you were free there is nothing you can do, I am legitimately the queen, by blood and by my own right. You lost.”

“I know. I wouldn't even dream of taking the throne from you.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Okay, maybe I would dream about it but I wouldn't do it.”

Sabrina smiled with her arms crossed in front of her chest. It was a real smile, one that it hadn't formed on her lips since she had decided to stay in Hell.

“Do you want to be free?” she surprised herself by asking him that.

“More than anything.”

“I don't know,” she said with a smug smile on her lips and an idea taking form in her mind “there is a reason why you are here after all…”

“But you proved to be a lot smarter than me, Sabrina Morningstar.”

“That's true.” she replied pleased with the praise “Tell me something, Caliban, if I release you... what would you be willing to do for me?

* * *

Nick clenched his fists. He didn't want to think about what had led him there.

But the need was still inside of him.

He could be clean but he knew the desire to make everything disappear would never go away. Not completely.

The need to feel nothing was too strong to be ignored.

And still, he tried.

He was really trying.

He clenched his fists tighter until he buried his nails in the flesh of his palms. Ah, pain was an old friend that he couldn’t say goodbye to. Feeling it brought some peace to his trouble mind even when he knew it was wrong. So wrong.

With a deep breath he turned and left Dorian Gray's Room without even having entered. He was strong enough. He could walk away.

He had to.

Healing was not easy, there were wounds that refused to be closed and yet he still tried. And tried harder.

Nick walked back to the Academy with slow steps, he could have teleported back in less than a second, but he needed the walk. He needed the air, he needed the nocturnal sounds of the forest, he needed the darkness of the sky.

He needed some peace but he didn't know where to get it and this was the closest he had been in a long time. He took a deep breath.

He had seen her.

Nick had seen the pain in her eyes, he had felt her discomfort in the way her body had tensed at the sight of him.

His heart ached for her. But as much as he wanted, he knew he had to stay away, he needed time. Time for himself, time to heal.

Seeing her that afternoon had stirred something inside him. And he didn’t know if that was good or bad.

He couldn’t forget the discomfort that both had felt, he had barely talked to her. Time ago he had asked her to be friends but he doubted they could ever be that. Not when seeing her make him want to kiss her and wrap his arms around her.

He knew he couldn’t do that. Not anymore. And it hurt.

When he entered the Academy Nick saw Prudence standing in front of the statue that only hours before the High Priestess had unveiled to the coven. The triple goddess stood majestically in the middle of the foyer.

He still didn’t know what to think about all the changes.

“Hi.”

Prudence turned to look at him with a slightly loose smile on her lips. She wasn't having a good time either, Dorcas's death and Agatha's disappearance were like two daggers constantly twisting in her chest.

“Hi” she replied back.

“Admiring the statue?”

“Actually, yes.” she waited until he came to her side to speak again “It's strange isn't it?” Nick looked at her with a slightly arched brow, hoping that she would elaborate a little more her question “This year. Everything that has happened.”

He couldn't help but nod. They remained in silence looking at every nook and cranny of the statue in front of them.

“Where were you?” Prudence asked suddenly.

“At Dorian's.” He answered almost out of inertia.

“Nick...” There was some reproach in Prudence's voice.

“I didn't enter.” he looked her in the eye “It's true, Pru. I didn't.”

This time she nodded. She knew that drinking was Nick's way to cope with the pain but he had taken that too far already.

And even when it hadn’t been entirely his fault, he still felt guilty for everything that had happened in that dark time of his life. He still suffered. They had talked about it although very little, it wasn’t as if he was going to open up to her to tell what he really felt, but Prudence could begin to see some cracks in the walls he had erected around himself.

He needed to let the people in, but was too afraid to do it.

The two of them felt alone. And they had found some solace in each other's company. She rested her head on his shoulder, it was strange for her to seek comfort in someone else and she knew who was guilty of it.

Ambrose Spellman had made her weak and she didn't know what to do to reverse that.

“I miss them.” Prudence said suddenly, Nick knew who she meant “I miss him.”

“Why don't you guys talk?”

“I can't forgive him, if he hadn't...”

Nick didn't want to think about the implications of Ambrose letting Blackwood be killed in Scotland because surely that would mean he would continue to house the Dark Lord within him. The thought made him tremble but it also made him feel a bit bad for being so selfish.

Prudence was suffering for that decision he reminded himself.

“You should go to bed.” Nick said suddenly. Prudence nodded.

“Come.” she said in a strange moment of vulnerability, Nick looked at her confused “Come with me.”

He knew what she was asking for and, although at another time he would have happily accepted the opportunity of losing himself in someone else's body, now that wasn’t even an option for him. Doing that, even when they felt so lonely it almost hurt physically, was a mistake.

And he would never repeat the same mistakes that had cost him so much.

They both knew that would only end up hurting them even more.

“Prudence...”

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have suggested...”

“No harm done,” Nick cut her off, giving her a small smile “Good night, Prudence.” he said before walking away to his room.

“Good night, Nicky.”

He fell asleep thinking about Sabrina. But when he woke up, some hours later, the only thing he could remember were the nightmares.


	2. Darkness lurks in every corner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some strange things start to happen in Greendale...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments!

Sabrina was returning from the Academy when the odd sensation assaulted her.

There was something wrong with the Mortuary, she couldn’t tell what it was but she couldn’t shake the feeling either, as she climbed the steps leading to the porch the sensation only intensified.

Something was wrong. Out of place.

A chill ran down her spine when she opened the front door.

The house was too quiet, too silent and that wasn’t normal. There was no sound of clicking pots or her aunt Hilda’s humming coming from the kitchen. There was no soft music coming down from his cousin’s room in the attic.

“Auntie?” she called from the foyer “Ambrose? I’m home.”

She walked towards the kitchen but it was empty. It seemed like there was no one in the house and that was unusual.

When Sabrina turned there was nothing left of the Spellman’s cozy kitchen, now the place was in the same state of neglect she had seen in the future. In that future she didn’t like to remember. There was dust on every surface and branches and weeds had crept into every nook and cranny of the place, claiming it as theirs.

She blinked, trying to get the image out of her mind, but when she opened her eyes everything was just the same.

The kitchen continued in the same state of abandonment that it had been when she closed her eyes.

“No, no,” Sabrina muttered shaking her head “this can’t be happening. It can’t be real.”

She left the kitchen with hurried steps and almost stumbled, the rest of the house was in the same state of abandonment the kitchen was. That couldn’t be true, she couldn’t be there.

That couldn’t be happening _again_. Fear made her heart pound to a point where it was almost painful.

Sabrina screamed, she closed her eyes trying to escape from what she was seeing but there was no escape for her.

The house remained the same. Alone. Cold.

In ruins.

“Sabrina, love, what happens?”

Her aunt Hilda’s voice ended up bringing her back to reality. She opened her eyes, the house was in perfect state, the surfaces polished, the curtains clean, a faint smell of food coming from the kitchen. She sighed relieved, it hadn’t been real.

But then, what had she seen?

“Sabrina?” Hilda was looking at her with concern “Are you ok, love?”

“I’m fine, auntie.” she lied.

“But you were screaming.”

“Eh… it’s, that… I thought…” Sabrina hesitated not quite sure what to say “Salem jumped out of nowhere and scared me.”

She knew it was a lousy excuse and she could see in her aunt’s eyes that she didn’t quite believe her.

Hilda was about to insist in her questioning when the oven timer rang, the sound made her jump a little.

“Oh, that must be the roast.” she commented before heading back to the kitchen with a last look at Sabrina. The interrogation momentarily postposed.

Sabrina's heart was still beating fast, she put a hand to her chest and tried to pace her breathing.

“It wasn’t real. It wasn’t real.” She repeated to herself while she went upstairs.

She opened the door of her room slowly, almost as if she expected to see it all dirty and covered in weeds but inside everything was just as she had left it that morning and yet, something still felt different in the air. Odd.

Sabrina put her bag on the chair in front of her dresser, maybe the smoke from the potions they had attempted to make in class had gone to her head causing the hallucination she just had, that was a perfectly rational explanation to what had happened and still… She knew that wasn’t the reason.

She lay back on her bed and closed her eyes for a moment. She still had nightmares about what had happened. And she knew they wouldn’t go away.

She deserved them after all.

In her search for a throne she had said didn’t want, Sabrina had left her family and friends aside and they had all ended up dead, but not just them, the whole town of Greendale had disappeared and she knew it had been her fault.

She couldn’t stop wondering what would have happened if that other version of herself hadn’t come to take her place on the stone. Probably she would never know.

But where had that other Sabrina come from? There was so many questions spinning in her head that she felt like it would explode at any minute.

She opened her eyes when she heard a knock on the door, before she could raise her head from the bed Ambrose peeked his through the half-open door.

“Dinner is ready, cousin.” He announced, Ambrose frowned when he noticed the look in Sabrina’s face “Is something wrong?”

She made a gesture inviting him to enter, Ambrose closed the door behind him and walked to sit on the edge of Sabrina’s bed.

“Cousin…?”

Sabrina sighed with her eyes closed for an instant.

“Ambrose… do you remember what I told you?”

“You’ve told me a lot, so you have to be a little more specific.”

She resisted her urge to roll her eyes.

“When I arrived this afternoon the house was silent. Too silent, Ambrose. I called you, I called aunt Hilda but you didn’t answer me and then, the house was in ruins, as I saw it when… when…”

“When you traveled in time, defying the laws of physics?”

“You are not helping; you know?” she said getting up from the bed. Sabrina had thought Ambrose would hear her but apparently she had been wrong.

“Sabrina…” he said in an apologetic tone.

She shook her head.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay, Ambrose.” She said but he could notice just hearing her voice that nothing was _okay_ “We’d better go downstairs or aunt Zelda will be furious because we’re delaying dinner.”

“Auntie Zee won’t be here for dinner.” Sabrina looked at him confused “She’s staying at the Academy tonight.”

Zelda was spending more and more time at the Academy, her duties as High Priestess and directrix seemed to grow with each passing day and Sabrina wouldn’t be surprised if one day she announced she was moving to the Academy permanently.

“Well, let’s not keep aunt Hilda waiting then.”

“Sabrina…” Ambrose tried again “I’m really sorry, you wanted to tell me something.”

“It was nothing.” She said with a shrug. He looked into her eyes detecting the lie in them “It wasn’t really important.”

“Cousin…”

“Seriously Ambrose, it’s not a big deal. It was just something stupid and unimportant.” Sabina insisted before heading towards the door.

Ambrose stood alone in the middle of the room for a few seconds thinking that this time he had really screwed up.

* * *

“Prudence… _Prudence_ …”

She woke up startled, something told her that it was impossible. She couldn’t be hearing _that_ voice calling her and yet, there it was again.

“Prudence…”

It was Dorcas’s voice.

Prudence got up from her bed, she put on a robe over her nightgown, when she was putting on her slippers she heard the voice again. Something inside her urged her to go, to look for the source of the voice.

She left the room trying not to wake up her roommates. The corridors were empty and dark at that time of night, in the silence she heard someone calling her again but this time it wasn’t Dorcas.

“Agatha?” she couldn’t help but ask aloud.

Prudence followed the voice through the corridors of the Academy, her sister’s voice becoming increasingly desperate, she quickened her steps as the voice guided her through the empty corridors.

The voice screamed and the sound was so terrifying that it froze the blood in her veins.

“Agatha?!”

“Prudence, help!”

She stopped, the voice came from the witches’ cell. With her heart racing, Prudence entered. She looked around but the cell was empty and cold, Agatha wasn’t there. She had never been, those voices had been nothing more than a product of her imagination, of her desperate desire to have her sisters back with her.

She missed them. She missed them so much.

“Idiot.” She muttered to herself before heading towards the cell’s door.

The door slammed shut before she could reach it, she heard the latch.

“What the heaven?”

She pushed the door with her both hands, but there was no force or spell capable of opening it once it closed.

After all, it was a prison.

She was trapped.

Prudence turned around and leaned her back against the old wooden door. Maybe someone had tried to play a joke on her.

And she had fallen into the trap like an idiot.

An idiot who have gotten out of bed in the middle of the night simply because she had heard a voice that sounded like her sisters’.

Dorcas was dead, Agatha was lost in her own mind.

She was alone.

She felt how the temperature of the place began to drop sharply, Prudence wrapped her torso with her own arms trying to maintain her body heat. A chill ran through her. Her nightgown was too thin for the cold stone floor.

There was something frightening about the place she hadn’t notice before.

“Prudence…”

There was the voice again.

“You are not real.”

“It’s your fault, sister.” Said the voice that sounded too much like Dorcas’s “I’m dead because of you.”

“No, no… That’s not true.”

“You let me die.”

“That’s not true!” she repeated. Her voice echoed in the cell.

“You abandoned me.” This time it was the voice that sounded so much like Agatha’s

"It's your fault, Prudence." said Dorcas’ voice "I'm dead because of you."

"No, no ..." Prudence repeated herself shaking her head from side to side "That's not true."

"You let me die."

"That’s not true!" she repeated.

"You abandoned me." This time it was the voice that sounded like Agatha's that accused her “You abandoned us.”

Prudence covered her ears with her hands but she could still hear the voices, it was as if they were inside her head, penetrating every slit of her thoughts until all she could hear were the voices of her sisters reproaching her for leaving them.

A tear fell down her cheek.

The pain was too much to bear. As much as she wanted to insist to the voices that she had not abandoned them, she knew that everything that had happened to Agatha and Dorcas had been her fault. Only her fault.

She didn’t know if it took minutes, hours or days until the voices began to fade.

The cell fell in a deathly silence. The door opened behind her with a click.

Leaning one of her hands on the cold stone wall to steady herself, Prudence stood up, she felt her legs shaky as she walked through the hallways towards her room.

She didn’t tell a soul about what she experienced that night.

* * *

Sabrina still couldn’t take out of her mind the image of the house in ruins and although she knew it wasn’t real she couldn’t get rid of the idea that it had been. At least for some minutes.

She had seen the dusk and the weeds, she had smelled the stale scent of mold and neglect in the air.

She knew in her bones that what she saw had been real, but how was that possible?

Sabrina shook her head slightly as she walked through the woods towards the Academy. She needed to stop thinking about it. She kept walking until the old train station appeared in front of her, she felt somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of going inside and she knew very well why.

She took a deep breath as she climbed the steps of the staircase and crossed the threshold of the building.

Sometimes Sabrina found it strange to see the Academy so lifeless. Not that it had been a joyous place before, but at least there was life in it. The conspiratorial whispers or the sound of shoes echoing against the floor had always been present and now, when she entered only silence received her.

Her footsteps echoed in the empty foyer as she walked towards the library, she had an assignment for one of the seminars aunt Zelda had insisted she had to take. At least after she finished her paper she would be able to meet her friends for some milkshakes. The thought made her smile.

But she must have suspected that the library wouldn’t be empty. That _he_ would be there.

It seemed as if he had some kind of sixth sense that alerted him of her presence because not even a second after she had entered into the library Nick had looked up from the heavy book he was reading. His dark eyes were fixed on her face.

He was tired, Sabrina could tell even from the distance. His tanned skin was now a bit pale and there were purple circles under his eyes. She didn’t need to ask to know he was having nightmares too.

She looked away first.

Sabrina knew it would be painful, but she had never expected it to be _so_ painful.

She took a deep, shaky breath to keep the tears at bay. That was the reason why she had tried to do the candle spell, because the pain was so much it almost became unbearable. She had believed that Harvey had broken her heart when he broke-up with her… She had no idea what it was like to have your heart truly broken.

Until now.

She decided to look around the shelves for the book she needed, she could have simply summoned it but if she did that she would have to go back to the tables area and then she would see Nick again.

“Sabrina?”

She leaned on the shelf before turning to look at him, she hadn't heard him go after her, she tried to smile kindly but the smile remained loose on her lips.

“Hey, hi, Nick.” Sabrina greeted him “What are you doing here?”

She wanted to kick herself when the question left her lips, that had been an extremely stupid question.

“Studying.” He replied with a shrug. They stayed silent for some excruciating seconds “did you come to study too?” Nick finally asked.

Sabrina nodded.

“I was looking for more information about… Hecate for the seminar.”

“I have a book in my table that might be of some use for you, I finished reading it so you can take it.” He ran a hand through his hair. He was nervous, uncomfortable. And he didn’t like it, Nick had never associated discomfort with Sabrina.

“That could be great, thank you.”

“It’s noth…” Nick fell silent, his gaze fixed in a point beyond Sabrina, she could notice how his cheeks paled even more.

“Nick?” she asked worried “Nick?”

She saw how his breath became more ragged, sweat beaded on his forehead, he clenched his fists at the sides of his body. His knuckles white.

“Nick?” she insisted with worried in her voice.

She moved closer to him and put one of her hands on his arm, she could feel the tension traveling through his body.

“Something happens?” her voice was barely a whisper.

He blinked like coming out of trance, he pulled away from her touch as if she burned him. Sabrina tried to hide it but he could see the pain in her brown eyes and he would have apologized to her if he hadn’t had to get out of there as fast as he could.

“I’m… I have to go.” He told her before practically running out of the library.

Sabrina stood there not really understanding what had happened.

Should she go after him?

Nick left the Academy with hurried steps, the rational part of him knew that what he had seen couldn’t be real.

But, he reminded himself, no one really knew where Lucifer was. He could have been perfectly there.

And the idea scared him.

Someone else would have noticed if he was at the Academy, he thought. Sabrina would have noticed.

“It’s not real, it’s not real.” He repeated to himself as he walked towards the only place he could think about at the time. His body was shaking with rage, with fear, he didn’t really know.

Nick only knew that he had seen him. And everything that had happened to him in Hell and after had come back to him with a clarity that he had only seen in his nightmares.

When he reached Dorian’s entrance he hesitated. He knew he shouldn’t do it, he knew he shouldn’t fall again, but the pain was so real, so recent. He needed to escape. He needed to forget.

At least they owed him that.

Sweet oblivion.

“Oh, Nicky, darling, I haven’t seen you in a while.” Nick came down the stairs with quick, determined steps, he deliberately ignored Gray’s greeting “The usual?” the bartender asked not even a little daunted by Nick harsh attitude.

He nodded taking a seat in the stool across from Dorian. Nick had his fists clenched over the table, his body was still shaking and his heart threatened to leap out of his chest in any minute.

Dorian stopped cleaning the glass in his hands and turned to reach for the bottle.

With another nod, Nick accepted the bottle of bourbon, he unscrewed the cap and poured himself a generous drink. He was about to raise it to his lips when something pushed the glass away from him.

The sound of the glass hitting the floor brought him back to the reality.

“What the heaven…?” when he turned to see who had thrown his glass he found himself face to face with a very angry Sabrina.

“You are not doing this again, Nicholas.” She told him with her arms crossed in front of her chest, there was fire in her eyes and her lips were a fine line of disapproval.

“Leave me alone.” He snapped at her before reaching for another glass, this time Sabrina blew the glass in his hand into a thousand pieces, Nick tried to suppress a cry of pain as the glass cut the skin on the palm of his hand.

“I will not do it.” And something told Nick she wasn’t referring to just that instant “Something happened to you. But, believe me, this is not the solution.”

“Miss Spellman, you don’t mean to take my best client from me, right?” Dorian said drawing her attention towards him. Sabrina glared at him.

“Shut up, Dorian.” She snapped before turning her gaze back to Nick, he was still holding his hand and she could see the blood dripping “Let me help you.” Sabrina reached out to take Nick’s hand, she could feel some reluctance in him before letting her take his hand “I’m sorry.”

Her anger had begun to dissipate when she had seen his eyes. She could see the terror in them. He was acting just like a wounded animal and she no longer care they weren’t on good terms, that they really couldn’t be friends anymore. She was not going to let him down.

She wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Sabrina observed the cuts on the palm of his hand, with one of her fingers she traced the cuts until they were nothing more than a barely perceptible line. As soon as she was done he pulled his hand away from her.

He looked at her for a few seconds before turning to take the bottle, Sabrina, reading his intentions, rushed to take it from his hands. The bottle fell to the floor and the strong aroma of alcohol filled the air.

“What do you want, Sabrina?” Nick practically screamed.

“I’m not going to let you do this again. I won’t let you destroy yourself again.” She insisted “There must be another way.”

Nick let out a sarcastic laugh.

“There is no other way, Sabrina. Don’t you think I would have already tried if there was?”

“Nick, please… Let me help you.”

“You can’t help me.”

“Let me try.” She asked him, Sabrina took his hands in hers “At least let me try this time.”

Nick took one of his hands out of her grip, he could see the pain in her gaze. And he hated himself for making her suffer again.

He didn't really think about his actions, he just wanted to erase that look of sadness from her eyes, Nick brought his hand up to her cheek with a touch so soft that Sabrina wouldn’t have been able to say it had been real. She leaned her head against his palm.

“You can’t help me.” He practically whispered “No one can.”

“Nick… please.”

“Can’t you see? The fact that I came here just shows that there is no possible salvation for me.”

“Don’t say that…” she asked him, a tear fell on her cheek but he swept it away with his thumb.

“Go, Sabrina. Stay away from me.”

“Nick…”

“We are only hurting ourselves with this.”

She wanted to tell him that she wouldn’t abandon him, that she didn’t care that he was pushing her away. But Nick had closed in, he didn’t want her help.

Sabrina pulled away from his touch and immediately missed the warmth of his hand.

“Don’t do it, Nick.” She said with tears in her eyes “You’re stronger than this, please let’s go…”

“Leave, Sabrina.”

“Don’t do it.” She repeated. “Nick, please don’t do it.”

“Just leave me alone.”

She swallowed the lump she felt on her throat before leaving. Nick followed her with his eyes until she disappeared through the door, he turned to face Dorian, who had observed the entire exchange, he had an enigmatic smile on his lips.

“Another?” he offered with a new bottle in his hands.

Nick nodded. He took the bottle and pour himself a drink. The alcohol burned down his throat.

Sabrina was wrong, he wasn’t strong enough.

He wasn’t strong enough.


	3. Facing an open threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter we will see how things are going in hell.  
> And some problems are coming to Greendale...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Another week, another chapter. Thank you so much for reading and commenting this story. You have no idea how important your feedback had been for me, specially this last few days.

Sabrina was sitting in front of the dresser brushing her hair, she had dispatched her maids after they had helped her out of the ostentatious dress she had used that night in another boring dinner with part of the hierarchy of Hell.

Being queen wasn't just about having power. Being queen came with a lot of responsibilities.

And an endless pile of paperwork.

She sighed, looking in the mirror, with her face totally devoid of makeup she could almost see the Sabrina she had been.

Sabrina Spellman.

But Sabrina Spellman wasn’t there, she was Sabrina Morningstar. Queen of Hell.

The door to her bedroom was slammed open, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Ah, my darling daughter."

She knew immediately that Lucifer's tone augured nothing good, she had begun to learn to read between the lines, after all that was the only way to survive in a court where everyone wanted something from her.

"Father," Sabrina greeted but didn't look at him, her eyes were sliding over the various colored jars and bottles on her dresser "May I ask what you are doing here? I don't remember requesting your presence here tonight."

She could see through the mirror as he clenched his fists at the sides of his body. A small smile came to Sabrina’s lips, she liked being able to push his buttons and get under his skin just to annoy him. Just because she could.

"I'm your father, girl, you might do well to remember that." Sabrina didn't answer and continued brushing her hair, out of the corner of her eye she could see that Lucifer was beginning to lose patience with her, her smile only grew "May I know what prompted you to do such a thing?"

"I think you're going to have to be more specific... _father_."

"Why did you free that so-called _prince_ Caliban?"

Sabrina shrugged.

"Because I wanted to."

"Are you endangering your own realm on a whim?"

"It's not a 'whim' and I'm not endangering anything, he promised not to try anything."

"And did you believe him?" Lucifer asked with disbelief and a little sneer in his voice "Girl, you have so much to learn."

"I made sure he can't do anything." Sabrina said turning to finally look at him "And I'm not a _girl_ , I'm the queen of all this, and you should start treating me like one, father."

"You still have a lot to learn from me to be a real queen."

“I am the queen!” Sabrina almost shouted “And if you continue bothering me and questioning my authority I can find another teacher.”

"You forget that I built all this. Hell answers to me, Sabrina, the covens worship me. I’m their Dark Lord."

Sabrina was starting to lose her patience too. She conjured a ball of hellfire in the palm of her hand and fiddled with it, showing him that Hell _also_ answered to her.

“Hell doesn’t answer only to you anymore, father, and regarding the covens… I think it’s about time to change that.”

“You wouldn't dare to do it. You don’t have the power to do it.”

Sabrina raised an eyebrow “Is that a threat?”

“Call it what you want, but you shouldn't have freed Caliban. If you wanted a plaything you could have looked elsewhere, maybe even brought dear Nich...”

“Don’t.” she said in a low menacing tone “Don't you dare say his name.”

Nick wasn't going to set foot in that cursed place again if it depended on her.

“Uh, I see that Mr. Scratch is still a sensitive subject, isn’t it?” Lucifer was smiling now seeing that Sabrina's mask of impassivity fell for an instant “Tell me, what did he say when he found out that you would be the queen of this place?”

She didn't want to remember that. She didn't want to think about the damage the two of them had inadvertently done to each other. She extinguished the ball of hellfire before extending her hand, she closed it into a fist, squeezing it as if she had Lucifer’s throat in it. She wished she had it.

Something dark inside her, something that had been silent for a long time urged her to tighten her grip.

Lucifer began to laugh out loud as he realized what she was trying to do. Maybe he should teach her daughter a lesson, she could be queen by name but she didn't have the power yet. Not completely. She still wasn’t a rival to him.

He could end her little show with a simple snap of his fingers and they both knew it.

Sabrina squeezed harder, until her knuckles turned white and her nails dug into the palm of her hand. She looked at him with narrowed eyes, she looked how his laughter started to fail as he began to choke. His eyes widened in disbelief.

When she finally released him from her grip, he put his hands to his throat, gasping for the air he had been deprived for.

“Don't you dare question my decisions again.” Sabrina told him.

Lucifer did not answer, but the look of hatred he gave her before leaving the room told her a lot.

She sighed, she had just won another enemy in that place. And a powerful one.

Sabrina took a deep breath trying to calm the anger that ran under her skin. She knew very well that she was playing with fire by threatening the devil himself, she was not powerful enough and even so, she had managed to have his existence in her hands for a few minutes.

And it felt good. The power.

Lucifer would always be a threat, to her, to her family and friends, for the world itself. She had kept him close all this time because his infernal knowledge was greater than anyone else’s in Hell but she had just accidentally shown her cards. And now there was no turning back.

She had to find a way to destroy him.

And soon.

* * *

"I missed this." Roz commented to Sabrina, they were sitting in their usual booth at Cee's drinking milkshakes. It was an unusually hot summer afternoon, at least for Greendale’s standards and the air conditioner of the place was certainly welcome “’Brina, something happens?”

Sabrina's downcast gaze hadn't gone unnoticed by her, neither the fact that she had barely touched her milkshake and simply moved the straw from one side of the glass to the other.

She looked up a little startled, Roz's voice had brought her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, I got distracted..."

"Something's wrong with you, 'Brina." This time it wasn’t a question, Roz reached out her hand and took her friend's "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know, it's just that..."

"Just...?"

"I know I shouldn't but...” she took a deep breath before adding “I'm worried about Nick."

"What's wrong with him?"

"I'm afraid that he might be drinking again."

Roz’s face showed her concern as she listened to Sabrina tell her everything about what had happened the other day. How she had followed him to Dorian's, how she had broken a few glasses and a bottle of Gray's best bourbon and still had been unable to get Nick to leave the place.

But she didn't tell her about what she felt when his hand touched her face.

"I don't know what to do..." Sabrina said quietly.

Her friend nibbled her lower lip, maybe Sabrina wasn’t going to like what she had to say to her. No, Roz was almost sure she wouldn’t like it but she had to say it anyway.

"You're not going to like this... But I think you should leave him alone," Sabrina opened her mouth to refute but Roz stopped her with her next words "I know it's not up to you to abandon the ones you love when they are in need." she didn't see the guilty look in her friend's eyes. She didn’t know that once Sabrina had left her loved ones aside and the result had been horrible "but maybe he needs to do this alone."

"He tried and I already told you how that ended."

"I know, but I also know that he was somehow still possessed back then. Not now."

"I know but… I don’t know, Roz. I want to help him I… I still, I _miss_ him." Sabrina allowed herself to admit what she had been trying to deny for weeks "And I don't want to see him hurt again."

"I know, ‘Brina but maybe he needs space to figure out some things."

Sabrina knew Roz was right, Nick had said something similar to her when he broke up with her, but it was difficult. It was hard not to act. It was hard not to try to help someone who was important to her.

Because he was important to her, even though he had broken her heart, she still... She still loved him.

"I don't know if I'm capable of doing that..."

"You can," Roz assured her giving her hand a squeeze "give him space. I'm sure things will work out."

"I'm not so sure, Roz." she said in a defeated tone, her shoulders slumped, she knew deep down that her friend was right.

Despite her desire to help, despite what she felt for him, Sabrina knew that she was only trouble for Nick. It had always been that way. Maybe she was the one who should walk away from him.

“I'll try.” she replied to her friend but she wasn’t so sure she would keep her word.

“Everything is going to be fine,” Roz assured him "Now, drink your milkshake before it melts completely."

Sabrina smiled at her. They started talking about lighter topics, about the movies they wanted to see and the books they wanted to read during what was left of the summer. It was comfortable there, with the air conditioning keeping the place cool that hot afternoon.

None of them wanted to face the heat outside but it was getting late and they needed to go back to their respective homes.

"It's strange isn't it...?" Roz commented as they went out to the street "this weather."

Sabrina nodded, her friend was right, it was too hot even for summer.

After saying goodbye to Roz, Sabrina started to walk towards the Mortuary through the forest, it was cooler there, between the trees, at least the leafy branches of the trees provided some shade.

Her steps led her to the clearing where it all had begun.

There were so many memories in that place and almost none of them were good. She couldn’t help but think about everything that had happened in that place.

She blinked once, twice, sure her eyes were playing tricks on her.

"Agatha?" Sabrina asked when she saw the girl at the edge of the tree line, her white dress was still stained with blood and dirt and there was a tinge of madness in her eyes "Agatha, are you okay?" she insisted walking towards her slowly, as one approaches an injured animal.

"I've come with a message from my father," Agatha said, Sabrina stopped a few steps from her.

"A message?"

Agatha nodded.

"The end of the Spellman is near, Sabrina. In less than a fortnight you will all be dead."

"What are you talking about?” she asked confused “Agatha, come with me, we'll help you..." she tried to get closer to her.

"The Eldritch Terrors are after you."

Sabrina couldn't help looking behind her, although of course nothing was there, when she turned her gaze to Agatha she was no longer there. She had vanished in the thin air.

"In less than a fortnight..." she heard the echo of her voice in the forest.

She felt her heart race in her chest, she knew that Blackwood was a threat that still hung over their heads, but she never thought he would reappear in their lives so soon.

She wasn’t really sure about what Agatha was referring to with the Eldritch Terror parts, but she did know of someone who would surely know what she was talking about.

Ambrose.

She needed to talk with her cousin.

Sabrina ran back to the house, the forest seemed to never end and her breathing was increasingly labored due to the heat and the fear that was gripping her heart. When the Mortuary finally came into view, she took a few seconds to catch her breath before taking the porch steps two at a time, she slammed the door open and didn't even bother to close it before running up the stairs to her cousin's room in the attic. Although she still heard her heartbeat in her ears, she could also hear her aunt Zelda's voice complaining about the lack of manners of young people.

"Ambrose!" she called him before coming into his room, her cousin was sitting cross-legged on his bed with a heavy old-looking book on his lap, he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Cousin?" He asked "Where is the fire?"

Sabrina was still panting from her run through the woods. She took a few seconds to catch her breath.

"It's Blackwood." she finally managed to say.

“Blackwood?” he was confused “You saw him?”

She denied.

"No,” she stopped again to take another breath “I saw Agatha. In the woods," she explained to him, "she told me she had a message from Blackwood.”

“A message? What kind of message?”

“She said… we'd be dead in a fortnight."

Ambrose rubbed a hand over his face.

"Ambrose...?"

"Did she say something else?" Sabrina nodded.

"She say something about the... Eldritch terrors? But I didn’t understand what she meant."

Her cousin released a curse she had never heard him say before.

"The egg." he said suddenly.

"The egg?" Sabrina asked confused "Which egg are you talking about...?"

“The one we used to speed up time when…” Ambrose fell silent unsure of continue talking.

“When you did that ritual on Nick. It’s ok, Ambrose, you can say his name.”

He still looked apologetic, he got up from the bed and began to walk from one side of the room to the other, looking for something between the sheets and books scattered around, when he found what he was looking for he approached to Sabrina.

"All this time I've been looking for information about that egg. The creature inside... Sabrina, I'm afraid we're dealing with something that I never thought possible. Something bigger than us. Something even bigger than the Dark Lord."

"I don't understand what you're talking about, Ambrose."

"I'm talking about the Eldritch Terrors, if what Agatha said is true, Blackwood was able to release them, probably using that damn egg."

Sabrina looked at her cousin and could see real terror in his eyes.

"What are they...?"

"The very essence of your nightmares. No one knows for sure what they look like, no one who has ever seen them in their true form has lived to tell. But there are stories... about what they can do. They are supposed to have been vanished from Earth long ago, but apparently Blackwood managed to bring them back. "

"What will we do, Ambrose?"

"First, we tell the aunts."

"Ambrose..."

"This isn’t something you can do by yourself, Sabrina. Actually, I don't know if all of us will be able to do something, I have a feeling Blackwood won't be content with just destroy us.”

"You speak as if we are already defeated."

"I'm talking about something that goes beyond our knowledge, our abilities, sorry if I'm not very optimistic." He replied with a quota of sarcasm in his voice.

"So what do we do? We give up?"

Ambrose denied, he put the book back on the desk "No, we fight."

Despite the circumstances, Sabrina smiled. Ambrose smiled back at him.

"Let's talk to the aunties, the faster they know better."

Sabrina nodded.

They went downstairs and headed straight for the kitchen.

In the kitchen Hilda was pulling a pie that smelled delicious out of the oven while humming a song she had heard on the radio the other day and Zelda was sitting at the table, smoking a cigarette after a long day of hard work at the Academy. The cousins watched the scene in silence for a few moments. It was such a domestic scene, so quiet that it hurt them to have to be the ones who break it. Zelda, noticing their presence in the threshold of the door, looked up at them.

"Don't stay there, standing like a couple of idiots you two and come inside."

Ambrose took a deep breath before speaking.

"Auntie Zee, Auntie Hilda, we need to talk."

"What mess are you two in now?" Zelda asked.

"Ambrose, love, what is it?" Hilda asked almost at the same time.

He didn't respond immediately and just looked at Sabrina. She could feel the weight of the gazes of all her family on her.

"When I was coming back from Cee’s, I saw Agatha."

Zelda stood up immediately.

"Where is she? Where did you see her?"

"In the woods but she left... after delivering me a message from... Blackwood."

"From Blackwood?"

Sabrina nodded before looking up at Zelda. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"She said our end was near, that we would be dead in a fortnight."

"Nonsense." Zelda said with a snort, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm afraid it's not an empty threat, auntie." Ambrose was the one who spoke this time.

"What do you mean?"

"Agatha also mentioned the Eldritch Terrors."

Sabrina had never seen her aunt Zelda turn pale before. Hilda gasped.

"Impossible, how...?

Ambrose took a deep breath.

"I have been researching the properties of the egg that Prudence and I stole from him.” He explained “And I believe it contains the power necessary to summon something beyond our knowledge."

"What are we going to do, aunties?"

Zelda drew herself up to her full height, the color had returned to her face and a determined look was in her eyes.

"We are Spellman; we will fight of course."

Sabrina, Hilda and Ambrose nodded agreeing with her.

"So what do we do now?" Sabrina asked.

"We need to make a plan," Zelda said, she directed her gaze to her nephew "Ambrose, you said you've been investigating," he nodded "go and bring everything you have, we'll see you in the parlor."

Ambrose nodded again before leaving the kitchen.

"I'm going to make some tea." Hilda commented.

Zelda was going to open her mouth to tell her that it was not the time for tea, but just one look at her sister's nervous expression told her that she needed to know, Hilda needed to do something to feel useful in the midst of all that chaos that was coming. She nodded towards her.

"And I need a drink. Come on, Sabrina."

She followed her aunt out of the kitchen, they both walked in silence until they reached the parlor. Sabrina sat down while her aunt made herself a drink. Neither of them knew what to say, both of them couldn’t stop thinking about what was happening.

Hilda entered with a tray with four cups of tea that she put on the table not a minute later Ambrose entered with his arms full of old-looking books, he placed them on the table too.

"This is all I could find," Ambrose said "I think I'll go check the Academy library tomorrow to see if I can find anything else that might help us and that I haven’t seen the first time."

Zelda nodded, she reached out to take one of the books.

"Also, I think we need to tell them." Ambrose said suddenly.

"To whom?"

"To the rest of the coven."

"I don't think it is necessary to alert them to this, Blackwood wants us not them." Zelda said.

"But at least Prudence must know." He insisted.

"Why should she know?"

"Because this it's about her brother and sisters too." Ambrose answered, Sabrina could see in his eyes what he wasn't saying, that Prudence would never forgive him if he didn't tell her what was happening.

"Okay, I suppose Prudence it’s allowed to know, but I don't think she should get involved."

"I don't think Blackwood will be satisfied with just us," Sabrina said, drawing everyone's attention to her "He already tried to kill the entire coven, he could try it again and we cannot allow the others to be oblivious to the threat he is, that would only put them in danger.”

Zelda was conflicted, but deep down she knew that Sabrina and Ambrose were right. Blackwood would stop at nothing.

"We will tell them, but I don't want them involved in this."

“I do not think that's possible.”

“I'm not going to expose what's left of the coven to whatever that madman is up to. His problem is with us.”

"Do you think we can stop him on our own, auntie?" Ambrose asked "we don't even know for sure what he is up to."

Zelda gave him a look that would silence anyone.

"You better tell us everything you found out." she told her nephew "I will decide what is best for the coven, I’m the High Priestess after all." she took a sip of her drink "Tomorrow we will let them know what happens first thing in the morning, and I want you all there." she said the last part with her eyes fixed on Sabrina. Her niece nodded, it was not time for discussions and she knew.

Ambrose started to tell them everything he had found out so far but it wasn't much.

Hours later, Sabrina lay awake in her bed, thinking about what had happened that day. Thinking that no matter how much she wanted it, it seemed that she could never have a normal life. There was always a threat around the corner for her.

It was when the sleep was about to overcome her when suddenly she was no longer in her room, but she wasn’t in an unknown place either. She recognized the golden throne, she thought she would never be there again but apparently nightmares could take you anywhere.

And now she was back in hell. The last place she would like to be at the moment.

The laugh startled her because it sounded exactly like hers, her eyes scanned the place until she found the source of the sound, what she saw left her shocked.

It was her, pinned on the wall, by no other than Caliban. He kissed her and she didn't resist, she grabbed him by the shoulders, bringing him closer to her.

"What the heaven is going on here?" Sabrina murmured, her eyes fixed on the scene in front of her.

"Enough" the other Sabrina said as Caliban’s lips tried to move down her jaw "I said enough." this time her voice was louder and she didn’t sound happy at all.

Caliban leapt away from her as if he had been struck by lightning.

"I thought we were having a good time." he commented with a smug smile.

"You thought wrong." she replied "Now go. I'll call you if I need you."

Caliban made a face that she couldn't see.

"As you wish, my queen." He answered with a bow that both Sabrinas knew was a bit sardonic.

The queen of Hell remained with her back against the cold wall, Sabrina wanted to approach her and ask her what had happened, why Caliban was free and why they both seemed to be involved in a love affair but she couldn’t do none of this because a second later she was back in her bed.

Sabrina sat up in her bed startling Salem who meowed indignantly.

"I'm sorry, Salem." she said to him and the cat approached her meowing, he pushed his head towards her hand trying to comfort her. Sabrina scratched him behind the ears, still confused by what she had just seen.

A question kept spinning in her head, if she could see what her counterpart in Hell was doing… Did it mean that she could see what she was doing on Earth too?

She spent the night tossing and turning in bed, afraid to return to Hell and wondering why the queen of Hell, despite all her power, didn’t seem happy.


	4. Together we stand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm sorry for the delay, but work had been hell this last few days and I didn't have the time (or the energy) to edit this chapter before.

The members of the coven congregated in the foyer of the Academy, they weren’t silent, they couldn’t help but speculate about the reasons why their High Priestess had asked them to meet there first thing in the morning. Some were hungry, some were sleepy but all of them were curious about what was happening, with everything that had already happened the months before they thought nothing could surprise them.

But they were wrong.

Only the Spellmans remained silent, looking at each other without saying anything.

Only they knew the reason why they were gathered there that morning.

“Silence, silence.”

Zelda’s voice was enough to make everyone in the room shut up as she entered into the foyer. She closed her eyes for a second and an almost imperceptibly sigh left her lips. All of them, the coven, her family, her, had been through a lot in the last months and now she was about to drop another bomb on those kids.

Standing in the middle of the room, she cleared her throat before speaking.

There was no easy way to say what she had to communicate to them that morning.

“I’m afraid Faustus Blackwood is back.”

Just those words were enough to restart the murmurs in the room.

“Silence! Silence!” she insisted.

“Mother Spellman?”

“Yes, Prudence?” Zelda answered turning towards her.

“Where is he?” Prudence’s hands were closed in two fists and she was struggling to keep her breathing even and her voice steady. Fury running through her veins and shinning in her dark eyes.

“We don’t know.”

Zelda’s answer wasn’t the one Prudence or the others were expecting.

“But then… how you can tell he is back?” Prudence asked.

“I think he never left Greendale, actually,” Zelda said “But he sent us a messenger this time.”

“A messenger?” Prudence kept her gaze fixed on Zelda’s face, realization beginning to creep in the girl’s face “Agatha…?” she asked in a whisper.

Zelda nodded almost imperceptibly.

“What does this mean, mother Spellman?” someone else asked, Zelda looked away from Prudence to look at the boy who had talked.

“It means we all have to be extremely careful from now on. We will reinforce the defenses of the Academy to begin with.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“And we’ll have some new rules. For starters, no more walking through the woods alone. You’ll always go out at least in pairs. Preferably you will not leave the Academy unless it’s extremely necessary”

Zelda began to say a series of rules for the coven members, Sabrina could see that not everyone took well her aunt’s new dispositions, she couldn’t help thinking that maybe they should tell them more, maybe they should explain them the real extent of what they were up against.

“That’s all.” Zelda said “You are dismissed.”

The murmurs started to arise and fade again as the students of the Academy left the hall. Only two of them stayed there aside from the Spellmans. Sabrina understood why Prudence would stay, after all she was the main interested in bringing Blackwood down and retrieve her brother and sisters, but why was Nick beside her? She couldn’t help but notice, as the days went by, that they seemed closer and closer to each other and a part of her wondered if they were together again.

She couldn’t help feeling the sting of jealousy in her chest.

Why Nick allowed Prudence to be so close to him but kept her at an arm’s length?

Why he didn’t want her around anymore?

So many questions were spinning in her head that she almost didn’t listened to Prudence’s question.

“What are you not telling us, mother Spellman?” Prudence asked bluntly.

“Not here, Prudence.” Zelda replied, she knew she was going to have to tell the whole truth to her, she couldn’t lie to her as she did with the others “Let’s go to my office.” She added looking at everyone who remained in the foyer.

They walked silently towards Zelda’s office, the room was slightly different from the days when Blackwood was High Priest, but it still didn't have a more personal touch that said Zelda was it new owner. There weren’t enough chairs for everyone, though it wasn't like some of them wanted to sit down, they all felt too much nervous energy running through their bodies to stay sit.

Hilda left the room murmuring something about getting some tea for everyone.

“Blackwood threatened _us_ ,” Zelda said to Prudence, and by her tone of voice the girl could say the High Priestess wasn’t referring to the Academy but to the Spellmans in particular “he sent Agatha to leave a message.”

“So you saw my sister? How is she?”

Zelda shook her head.

“Sabrina was the one who received the message.”

“How is she?” Prudence insisted looking at Sabrina. She needed to know how her sister was.

“She is… she looked the same.” Sabrina said in an almost apologetic tone “I’m so sorry, Prudence.”

“We need to find him.” Was Prudence only answer.

“It’s not that simple,” this time it was Ambrose who spoke, Prudence looked at him with some reticence “He is not alone.”

“He had my brother and sisters with him, of course he is not alone.”

Ambrose shook his head.

“I’m not talking about them.”

“What do you mean then?”

Everyone could feel the tension, the unsaid feelings between them were almost palpable in the air.

“Do you remember what he said in Scotland?” Ambrose winced upon seeing Prudence’s gaze. Scotland didn’t bring good memories for him either, at least not anymore “He spoke about magic beyond our knowledge.” She nodded, of course she remembered “I’m afraid he was talking about the Eldritch terrors.”

“That’s not possible.” Nick exclaimed drawing everyone’s attention towards him “No one has ever…”

“I’m afraid he did.” Ambrose insisted “Or at least that’s what Agatha told to Sabrina.”

Sabrina kept her eyes on her cousin when she nodded.

“And what are we going to do?” Prudence asked, breaking the silence in which the room had been wrapped “Do we stay here and wait for him to attack us?”

Zelda shook her head.

“We must find him before he finds us,” she replied “but first we must know all we can about what we are dealing with...”

“Tea is here,” Hilda announced entering to the room with a tray with a huge kettle and some cups on it, Ambrose rushed to help her “oh, thank you, dear.” She whispered as she was freed from her heavy load by her nephew “I brought some cookies too.”

“Hilda…” Zelda said in an exasperated tone at her sister's interruption.

“Zelda… Don’t start, neither of this kids have eaten breakfast yet and I’m sure this conversation will take some time.”

Her sister snorted but didn’t refute her sister’s words. Hilda nodded pleased with her small victory before starting pouring the tea.

“So,” Prudence said “what will we do first?”

“First, we will strengthen the defenses of the Academy, I’ll need the help of each one of you” Zelda said, despite her initial reluctance she accepted the cup her sister was offering with a nod “Right now I think the Academy is the safest place to be. For _everyone_.”

“What do you mean, auntie?” Sabrina couldn’t help but ask, even when she had a clear idea about what her aunt was talking about.

And she didn’t like the idea.

Zelda gave her a look that clearly said she didn’t like the interruption.

“What I mean is that we should stay here. All of us at least for a while. It’s easier to defend only one place at a time, plus, the Mortuary will be the first place he’ll go looking for us. We could buy some time by not being where he expects us to be.”

Sabrina nodded, she wanted to ask her what would happen with her friends. What should she tell them? If she told them something… would it put them in danger too?

“Ambrose, Nicholas, I need you two to investigate as much of you can about what we are facing.” Zelda said to them, they nodded in agreement “Prudence, do you think you can try to make a mental connection with Agatha?”

“I’ve been trying but…”

“Could you keep trying?” Zelda insisted “Anything you can find out will help us.”

“Sure.”

“Good.” She said “Sabrina can help you.”

Sabrina nodded even when she didn’t know what she could do to help Prudence. She suspected her aunt had asked her that simply to keep her busy with something.

“Well, now that that is settled,” Zelda said getting up from her desk chair “Prudence, Nicholas, could you make sure to gather everyone at the front of the Academy at noon?”

They nodded before leaving the room, their teas barely touched. Sabrina couldn’t help but follow them with her eyes, she noticed that her cousin did the same.

“Did we do the right thing?” Hilda asked after taking a sip of her tea. Zelda looked at her.

“It’s better this way, at least for now. Too much information will only make them more scared than they already are.” She was talking about the rest of the coven members.

Hilda shook her head.

“What’s is going to happen with my friends, auntie?” Sabrina asked “What am I going to tell them?”

“I don’t think they are in any immediate danger, but maybe the best thing you can do is stay away from them, at least for a while.”

Sabrina had suspected that could be her aunt’s answer but that didn’t mean she liked it. She sighed. The summer was over.

She couldn’t believe that her normal life had lasted so little. Apparently nothing would ever be normal in her life and maybe she should start to get used to the idea.

“Do you think we should ask help from the other witches again?” Ambrose asked suddenly.

Zelda thought about it for a few seconds.

“I think we cannot rule out that possibility, but before asking for any help we need to know what we’re dealing with.”

Ambrose nodded.

After they finished their teas the Spellmans teleported back to the Mortuary to collect some of their belongings. Sabrina couldn’t help but think, as she put some clothes in a bag, how ironic it had been to avoid the Academy for so many weeks to end up living inside its walls before the summer ended.

She wanted to talk to her friends, tell them what was happening but she knew they would want to help her when they knew what was happening and there was no way her aunt Zelda would allow such a thing.

But she couldn't just disappear without giving them an explanation.

“You ready?” Ambrose asked poking his head through the half-open door.

Sabrina nodded as she closed her bag.

“Are you ok with this?”

His cousin shrugged her shoulders before answering.

“It’s not like we have any other option, right?”

Ambrose came into the room, he sat on the edge of Sabrina’s bed and urged her to do the same. He took her hands and gave it a soft squeeze.

“We will get through this, cousin.”

“I’m not so sure Ambrose… You said it yourself… we don’t even really know what we’re facing. Blackwood hates us.”

“I never took you for a fatalistic person, cousin.” He tried to smile at her but Sabrina was still downcast and pensive. She shrugged again.

“I think we should go.” Sabrina said and Ambrose nodded noticing she didn’t want to talk about what was happening anymore.

Ambrose gave her a side hug before getting up from the bed.

* * *

“Nothing?” Sabrina asked her.

Prudence was sitting in one of the tables of the empty classroom massaging her temples in silence. She had been trying to establish a connection with Agatha for hours without results.

She was somewhat frustrated, they didn't know if that would work, if establishing a connection with Agatha would help them to find out where Blackwood was hiding or discover what his plan was but they had to try. She had to try.

“Do I look like I’ve gotten something?” Prudence snapped.

“Do you really need to be so annoying?” Sabrina asked back. She didn’t really expect an answer and Prudence didn’t give her one either.

“I’m going to try one more time.”

“Prudence…” Sabrina said, they had been on this for hours but apart from some meaningless images, Prudence hadn’t achieved anything and that only told her that Agatha was too far away to establish a good connection or that her mind continued to be a tangled mess.

“I have to try again.” She insisted.

“You are tired.”

“Does it matter?”

“Prudence you are going to hurt yourself.”

Sabrina wasn't going to admit it but she was somewhat worried about Prudence’s condition, she was more tired than she showed. She needed to rest.

“I thought that you would understand.” Prudence said to Sabrina in a softer voice, a vulnerable tone she never thought her capable of “You are always willing to do whatever it takes for those you love.” She added.

Sabrina understood what she meant, she knew that if she were in the same position as Prudence she would do exactly the same. She would insist until she got results.

But she also knew that Prudence would only end up hurting herself if she continued.

“I understand you, but you need to rest too.”

Prudence dropped her hands. Yes, she was tired but Agatha needed her. Her brother and sister needed her too.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You won’t get anything but wear yourself out if you continue like this. Maybe we should find another way.”

“If you have any idea I’ll take it with pleasure, but since it isn’t the case…”

“Prudence, c’mon…”

“Just let me do this. You can leave if you want.”

“Ok, do what you want.” Sabrina replied crossing her arms over her chest but she didn’t leave the classroom.

Prudence tried again, but Sabrina was right, she was tired, and the images she could see were confusing and blurred.

Until suddenly she saw it.

Blackwood at the altar opening the egg that Ambrose and her had managed to steal from him. His laughter froze her blood as she saw a lightning streak across the sky.

She heard someone calling her name before everything started to blur around the edges of her vision.

“Prudence!” 

Sabrina leaned closer trying to hold her before she ended up hitting her head on the floor.

“Prudence?” Sabrina asked her, she slowly started to blink trying to focus her eyes on the other girl “Are you ok?” Prudence nodded but that only made her head hurt even more “What happened?”

“I saw… something.” She answered trying to stand up by herself, Sabrina moved away a bit to give her space “I don’t know what it was, if it’s a memory of Agatha or if…”

“Or if…?”

“Or if that was something _he_ wanted me to see.” Prudence replied, the images had been too clear, so different from the fogged ones she had seen before “I think my father may suspect what we are trying to do.”

“That’s not good news. We must tell my aunt Zelda.”

Prudence nodded but when she tried to step forward to follow Sabrina she stumbled. She rushed to help her.

“I think you should rest first.” Sabrina said to her.

“This is more important.”

Sabrina tried to refrain herself from rolling her eyes.

“How about this? I’ll walk you to your room so you can lie down and rest a bit while I go find my aunt so you can tell her what you saw.”

Prudence stayed silent for some seconds thinking about what Sabrina had proposed.

“Fine.” she said begrudgingly in the end.

Sabrina tried to help her walk out of the classroom but Prudence refused her help. She didn’t need Sabrina’s help, moreover she didn’t want anyone to see her being held by someone else. She wasn’t weak.

Fortunately, the dormitory was empty when they arrived, probably the rest of the girls were still having dinner, because since Hilda had taken over the Academy’s kitchen the students had started to linger during the meals as they had never done before.

“You can ask me, you know.” Prudence said suddenly, Sabrina looked at her confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, please, Sabrina, your mind is technically screaming it.” She still looked like she didn’t understand what Prudence was talking about “But don’t worry, there is nothing going on between Nicky and I.”

“I was… I wasn’t…” Sabrina stammered, her cheeks felt a bit flushed “Why were you reading my mind?”

“Like I told you,” Prudence said with a smug smile on her lips. Ruffling Sabrina’s feathers was always a welcome distraction “your mind has been technically screaming it all day. You have a really noisy mind.”

“That’s not…”

“Don’t try to tell me it’s not true, you can’t fool me.” Prudence insisted, she closed her eyes for a second, as much fun as it might be teasing Sabrina, she actually felt extremely tired after all the effort, first reinforcing the Academy’s protection spells and then trying to establish that fragile connection with Agatha.

“Did you do the candle spell?” Prudence asked as she sat on her bed, there was no maliciousness or mockery in her voice anymore, just curiosity. Sabrina nodded.

“I did it.” She admitted “It didn’t work.”

“That’s weird.”

“What do you mean?”

“It should have worked.”

Sabrina shook her head. She didn’t want to talk about the candle spell or her feelings for Nick. She didn’t want to talk to Prudence at all at that moment.

“I’m going to go find my aunt.” She said as a way to finish the conversation.

She didn’t wait for an answer and just left the room. She felt her heartbeat echoing in her ears, even if she didn’t want to, Prudence’s words continued spinning in her mind as she entered into her aunt’s office.

“Sabrina?” Zelda asked “something happens?”

“You need to go talk with Prudence, she saw something.”

Zelda got up from her desk quickly.

“Where is she?”

“In the dormitory, she is not feeling well.”

Her aunt nodded, when she reached Sabrina’s side, she put her hands on her niece’s shoulders. Her rush suddenly gone.

“Something happens to you.” This time it wasn’t a question “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, auntie Zee.” Sabrina replied maybe too quickly for Zelda’s liking, she looked at her with a raised eyebrow not believing her at all “I think I’m a bit tired too.” She lied. And Zelda saw it but didn’t insist.

“Go to rest. I’ll tell Hilda to bring you something to eat to your room later, I know you haven’t had dinner.”

Sabrina nodded to her aunt before leaving the office. She was already in the foyer when she remembered that she didn’t know where her room was, she was going to go back to ask her aunt but surely she had already gone to see Prudence.

Maybe she should go ask Hilda instead, she was turning towards the kitchen when she saw Salem sitting in front of Hecate’s statue, she was sure her familiar had been waiting for her.

“Salem,” she called him and the cat walked over to her, he rubbed his body against her leg as a greeting “hey, do you know where my room is?” Salem meowed in response.

Sabrina followed her cat through the halls of the Academy, her steps slowed when she saw where Salem was heading.

Of all the rooms in that place, why had her aunt assigned her that one?

“Aunt Zelda has a twisted sense of humor.” She whispered to herself before approaching to the door in front of which Salem was sitting.

She was about to open it when the one in front of her new room opened as well.

“Sabrina.”

She took a breath before turning to look at him.

“Nick, hi.”

“Hi,” he motioned towards the door “are you staying here?”

“So it seems.”

Nick nodded not sure of what to say to her. He didn’t like that, the tension that existed now in every one of their interactions, but he had to remember that he was partly to blame for it too.

He had asked for space but he wasn’t really taking it.

“I should go to the library,” he said “your cousin is waiting for me.”

Sabrina nodded, once he left, she let out the air she had inadvertently held.

* * *

“Lilith?” Sabrina said without looking up from the book she was reading, she had recognized the woman’s footsteps against the marble floor of the library “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

She couldn’t see how the woman pursed her lips after hearing the sarcasm in her voice.

“Sabrina…”

“Ah, ah, ah.” She exclaimed wagging a warning finger, her eyes still fixed in the book “It’s Your Majesty now.”

Lilith rolled her eyes just at the same time Sabrina decided to look up at her.

“You would do well remembering you place here, Lilith.”

“And what would that place be?” Lilith asked in turn.

This time it was Sabrina who pursed her lips. That was a difficult question. She looked at the woman in front of her without really knowing what place she occupied in Hell.

Former concubine. Former queen. Former regent. What was Lilith now? What role did she play in court?

Sabrina looked back at the woman, her figure was beginning to show signs of pregnancy. She hadn’t thought about what role the child Lilith was expecting would come to play either.

Would he be an ally? Would he be a threat?

She would definitely have to think about it.

“What do you want?” Sabrina snapped at the woman. After all, she didn’t have to answer her questions. She was the queen now, _she_ made the questions.

“I heard that you and your father had a little quarrel.” Sabrina didn’t say anything “What are you planning to do… _Your Majesty_?

“As if I was going to tell something to you.”

“I can help you and you know it.”

“I don’t need your help and although it’s not your business, no, I’m not planning anything. He just pissed me off.”

“And that's why you almost choked him?” Lilith asked her, Sabrina was surprised she knew so many details “You have more power than you had before, I’m sure you’ve noticed too.”

And she had. She was still surprised that she had been able to subjugate Lucifer even for a few seconds. That was something she didn’t think she was capable of and still, she had.

“Of course you’ve noticed. In time, you might even be able to get rid of him…”

“Do you try to convince me to plot against my father, Lilith?”

“C’mon Sabrina, we both know that’s been your plan since the beginning. I even helped you, don’t you remember?”

 _And look how things had ended_ , Sabrina thought.

She had ended up being queen of Hell anyway.

Sometimes she couldn’t sleep well at night thinking about all the things that could have been prevented if she had only taken the crown in the first place. But she also knew that if she had accepted in that moment she would only be a doll, a beautiful ornament for the court while Lucifer continued to wield all the power.

But things were different now. Now she had _some_ power in her own right.

And that power grew day after day.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I'm going to have to end this interesting conversation,” Sabrina said standing up from her chair “I have some souls to collect and I’m running late.”

“Think about it, Sabrina.”

“It’s Your Majesty for you!” Sabrina said looking at her for over her shoulder “you would do well to remember it.”

“Or?” Lilith said back.

“You don’t want to know, trust me.”

It was an implicit threat and Lilith knew it. Sabrina left the room with a bang. She was conscious that her power grew day by day but she had also noticed that her temper seemed to shorten at the same pace.

And secretly, that terrified her.

“Oh, but if it is none other than our beautiful infernal queen.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes, sometimes she really regretted releasing him from the stone. She had felt so lost, so alone the day she did it that she had forgotten how annoying Caliban could be.

“What do you want, Caliban?”

“Well,” he said walking away from the pillar where he had been leaning before she arrived “I was just passing by and I thought that maybe you need some company.”

He tried to put his hands on her hips but Sabrina stepped away from him.

“Did I request your presence here in the first place?” she asked and Caliban shook his head “Then that’s your answer. I don’t need you, so go to do whatever it is what you do with your time and leave me alone. I’m busy.” She added before resuming her walk.

It seemed that everyone was trying to get her out of her mind that day.


	5. So many things I can’t tell you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> Thank you so much to all of you for reading, commenting and leaving kudos to this story! I really enjoy reading your comments and I guess I’m not doing the things so bad if you continue here haha.
> 
> I wanted to tell you something about this story.
> 
> Maybe in the next chapters you will notice that a lot of things are going to happen in a pretty short time… and they may seem somewhat rushed (sounds familiar to you, CAOS writers?) Well, there is a reason for that.
> 
> When I outlined this story I divided it in three parts, each of approximately 8 chapters, now we are reaching the end of the first part of the story so if some things look a bit rushed… Don’t worry! but be patient because everything is going to be explained in due time.
> 
> Enjoy reading!

It had taken her a few hours but Sabrina had finally convinced her aunt to let her go talk to her friends. She needed to explain them personally why she couldn’t continue to see them. At least not until Blackwood’s threat were nothing more than a bad memory fading in the distance.

If they could stop him of course.

As the days passed she was less and less optimistic about their success. Ambrose and Nick’s research had given little to non-result and as much as Prudence tried to see something she only received blurry and disjointed images from Agatha’s mind but not a single clue to lead them to where Blackwood was hiding.

“You,” Theo suddenly said pointing at Sabrina with one of the fries, she was startled as she was pulled out of her reverie by her friend “you didn’t make it to the movies yesterday.”

“I’m sorry.” She replied looking at her friends. She felt guilty for having to lie to them again but it was to protect them she remembered herself “My aunt Zelda needed me at the Academy and I couldn’t say no to her.”

Which was not entirely false, the truth was that she had completely forgotten about meeting her friends to go to the movies. With everything that was happening she didn’t have mind to think in nothing more than her family current problem.

“Is something wrong, ‘Brina?” Roz asked, she could feel the uneasiness in her friend’s voice even when she tried to hide it. She might be able to fool Theo and Harvey but she couldn’t fool her.

Sabrina sighed. This was the moment she was waiting for. She had to be honest with her friends, at least as honest as she could be under the circumstances. She didn’t like having to hide things from them again, but she couldn’t tell them the truth because then, they would want to help her like they always did and that would only end up putting them in danger.

And she couldn’t continue to endanger the ones she loved the most. She had already learned that lesson.

“You already know that my aunt asked me to resume my studies at the Academy.” Her friends nodded, she had told them before. Sabrina took a deep breath before continue “Well, it turns out that I’m going to need some more _intensive_ classes than what we first though and I won’t have much free time.”

It was a really lame excuse and she knew it.

“But you can’t spend the rest of the summer locked up in your other school.” Harvey said. He had no idea about how accurate his words had been.

“But… you are going to be at Baxter High with us, right? Theo asked now “You are not going to leave us again, are you?”

Sabrina looked up, when her gaze met Roz’s she realized her best friend hadn’t believed her lie.

“Of course I'll go back to Baxter with you guys.” That was a promise she hoped to be able to keep. She really wished to.

“Is there something we can do? Talk to your aunt, maybe?”

Sabrina smiled sadly at the thought of Harvey facing off against her aunt Zelda.

“I’m afraid not.” She sighed resigned “At least it’s only for a few weeks.” She added with a weak smile on her lips.

Only if they could defeat Blackwood, she remembered. Sabrina tried to hold back the tears she felt pricking in her eyes at the thought that maybe this would be the last time she would see her friends.

She tried to keep sadness and bay. She had to be able to enjoy the moment with her friends. She had to be able to smile and laugh as they shared a bowl of fries and talked about movies.

“This is weird.” Roz commented when they left Cee’s hours later, the sky was no longer clear and sunny as it had been when they entered to the diner, now, threatening clouds covered the sky. A cold wind blew and make them shiver in their summer clothes.

Sabrina felt a chill run down her spine that had nothing to do with the wind. There was magic lingering in the air, she could feel it.

Something was happening but she didn’t know what it was.

She said goodbye to her friends with a heavy heart.

She could have gotten into one of the alleys and teleported back to the Academy in seconds but there was something that prevented her from doing so, she could feel that the storm that was coming was not natural.

The pulse of magic guided her into the woods.

But there was nothing out of the ordinary in there. And yet, Sabrina couldn’t shake the feeling that something would happen.

The first drops began to fall and she noticed the silence that filled the forest. There were no birds singing, she couldn't even hear the noise of the leaves on the tree branches being swayed by the wind.

She continued walking despite the rain, the pulse of magic was an invisible thread that urged her to keep going, to go deeper into the woods.

The rain became thicker; the wind blew lifting the leaves on the tree branches.

“Ouch!” she exclaimed when a leaf grazed her arm, she saw the blood appear in the small cut. That was unusual, a normal leaf wouldn’t feel like a knife against her skin as this one did.

At first, Sabrina didn’t feel the vine twining around her ankle, she was too distracted inspecting the damage in her arm, but when she tried to walk and was unable to give a step she looked to the ground.

It was like the night of her Dark Baptism all over again.

The forest was trying to catch her, but why? or for what?

Her heart began to beat faster with fear.

She jerked free but only managed to take a few steps forward before the next vine closed around one of her arms, sinking deep into her bare skin. She winced when another one curled around her ankle again.

Sabrina didn’t know why the forest was attacking her.

She struggled with all her strength but every time she managed to free herself and advance a few steps, a new branch or vine tangled around one of her limbs, her torso and finally her throat.

“Sabrina!”

The scream made her stay still and stop fighting for some seconds. _No_ , she thought, _that couldn't be possible._

“Theo? Theo is that you?” she asked to the wind.

“Sabrina!” this time it was a different voice.

“Roz? What’s going on? Roz!”

Next was Harvey’s voice.

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, her friends couldn’t be there, they were at their homes or on their way to them, she remembered herself. None of them had to go through that part of the woods, it was impossible that they were there but even so their voices kept calling her, pleading, resounding in her ears. She tried to free herself but it was impossible, the vines and branches that held her did nothing more than bury themselves a bit deeper into her skin with each one of her movements.

“Sabrina!”

That voice froze the blood in her veins.

Nick.

No. _No_. Not him.

“It's not real, it's not real.” She tried to convince herself of that. Nick was at the Academy, probably in the library with her cousin researching. He couldn’t be there. He was safe, he was not there.

He was not in pain.

The rain had soaked her clothes and was falling with painful force against her skin and she could feel how she was running out of air. Every time she tried to breath the vine around her throat buried more into her delicate skin. She could hear the beating of her heart in her ears and black spots were beginning to blur her vision.

She kept listening to the voices. The cries of pain resounding in her head.

So this was how it felt to die.

No, she thought. She couldn’t die, she needed to get out of there.

Sabrina closed her eyes and focused her last energies on calling upon hellfire as she had done before but it wasn’t working.

She tried again.

The blue flames appeared in her hands and began to consume the branches that held her captive, she heard a spectral scream coming from them when they were being burned. It made her skin crawl.

A rotten smell filled the air.

She tripped and fell to the ground once free. She winced feeling the burning pain in her knees and the palms of her hands but she didn’t have time to think about her injures, she got up and started running away from the forest.

* * *

Nick knew his actions would get him in trouble with the High Priestess but he didn’t really care.

He wasn’t in the mood to participate in a new ritual that night. He was feeling on edge.

He needed to get out of the Academy, he felt as if the walls of the place were getting closer and closer, enclosing him, leaving him without air.

Nick needed to leave but not just the building itself and he knew it.

But he also knew that he wouldn’t. Not while there was a threat looming over his coven.

Over Sabrina.

He had asked for space but he wasn’t really taking it. She was everywhere.

Some days, like that one, the desire to drink until forgetting everything was stronger. The nightmares had not allowed him to sleep and he was sure even Sabrina was able to hear him scream from across the hall. The look of compassion she had given him that morning had been more than what he could bear.

Nick didn’t want her pity.

He wanted _her_ but he couldn’t be _with_ her.

He needed time, he needed space but wasn’t taking any of them.

The walls of the Academy became even more suffocating, he needed to get out of there, he needed air.

He didn’t care about the wind or the rain, he welcomed them. There, in the middle of the storm, he felt like he could finally breath.

Nick closed his eyes feeling the raindrops falling in his face. Soaking his clothes.

It was the sound of hurrying footsteps against the muddy ground what made him open the eyes. At first he couldn’t distinguish who it was, he only saw a figure running towards the building but it didn’t take long for him to recognize that particular hair color.

“Sabrina?” he yelled before running towards her.

Nick felt her rain-soaked body crash against his. He could feel her hands gripping the folds of the back of his shirt tightly, as if she wanted to melt against him.

She was shivering but he knew it wasn’t just due to the cold.

He could feel her heart pounding against his chest.

“Sabrina?” he asked, pulling away slightly to meet her gaze, she kept her eyes down, her breath fast. Nick lifted her chin to look at her eyes, he could see the small cuts on her cheeks and forehead “What happened?”

“The woods.” She gasped, her gaze now fixed on his eyes “It tried to catch me. Kill me.”

Nick let his gaze drift her body looking for wounds, he could see the reddened skin in her arms and legs where the vines had tried to bury themselves in her flesh, the cuts, the dried blood and dirt that covered her sundress.

“Let’s take you inside.” His hands ran over her bare arms. Her skin was so cold.

She nodded.

He guided her into the Academy with one hand on the small of her back, she could feel his hand burning the skin under her wet dress. She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed when he pulled his hand away from her when he saw she was more steady on her feet.

“Where is everybody?” Sabrina asked when she noticed the silence that reigned inside of the Academy, the only noise that could be heard were their own footsteps and the water dripping from their wet clothes.

“At the Desecrated Church.” Nick answered.

Sabrina stopped on her tracks.

“The ritual… I totally forgot about that.” She turned as if she wanted to go towards the door but Nick stopped her by taking her arm, careful not to touch her wounds.

“You need to rest, Sabrina, and have your aunt Hilda check those wounds. You’re in no shape to go anywhere other than your room.”

She wanted to debate, she really wanted to but her body was beginning to ache. And she was tired, so, so tired.

“Aunt Zelda is going to kill me.” She said instead.

“Then she will kill us both.” Nick told her. It was true, Sabrina hadn’t stopped to think that he shouldn’t have been there in the first place. He should have been at the Desecrated Church with the rest of the coven.

“Why weren’t you at the Desecrated Church?” she couldn’t help but ask him.

Nick shrugged.

“I wasn’t in the mood for a ritual.” Was his only reply.

She looked at him trying to figure out what was wrong with him but he kept looking straight ahead, Nick had never been very given to share things about himself but in the last time it was as if he had completely closed off from her.

He had left her outside.

“You should take a hot bath.” He said when they reached the door of her bedroom. Sabrina nodded, she could feel the cold in her very bones, a hot bath sounded wonderful “I’m going to go find your aunt.”

“It’s not necessary.”

“It is.” He insisted, he didn’t know very well why he got a bit closer to her but he did. She was like the sun and he couldn't help orbiting around her. One of his fingers ran across left cheek, she leaned towards his touch.

She had missed this, his touch. She had missed him

“You are hurt.” He said softly, his gaze falling back to her neck where a vine had left a red, inflamed mark that seemed extremely painful.

Sabrina nodded. When he pulled away it was as if the moment had been broken, discomfort settled back in between them.

“You should change too.” She said taking a look at his wet clothes, she tried not to think about how the wet shirt was sticking to his chest, she tried not to think about how it had felt to be wrapped in his arms again.

She really tried.

And failed.

Nick gave her a lopsided smile but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m not going to get sick if that’s your concern.”

Sabrina shook her head. That little glimpse of what they had been, of how simple it had been to be with him, was more painful than the wounds in her body.

“Could you tell my aunt Zelda to come too?” she asked, Nick nodded before walking away.

If he had turned around for a second, he would have seen how she stayed there for a moment with her back against the door watching him disappear down the hall.

Once outside Nick saw that the rain had stopped as quickly as it had come. He could smell the scent of magic and something else in the air that he hadn’t noticed before.

The air smelled rotten.

He realized that the rain hadn’t been natural at all.

But who had conjured it? And why?

When he opened the door of the Desecrated Church all the eyes turned to him, his entrance extinguished the three candles in the middle of the circle of salt drawn on the floor.

One white for the maiden, one red for the mother, one black for the wise old woman. The three faces of the goddess.

“What is the meaning of this interruption, Mr. Scratch?” Zelda asked, irritation could be heard in her voice, in her hands she still carried a chalice with the blood of the sacrifice.

“It’s Sabrina.” He said “She needs you.”

“Something happened to Sabrina?” Hilda asked moving away from the circle and towards the entrance.

Nick nodded, not sure if it was appropriate to tell her in front of everyone what had happened.

“Hilda,” Zelda exclaimed indignantly almost at the same time “where do you think you are going? We haven’t finished here yet.”

“Our niece needs us, Zelda.”

Nick nodded.

“She wants to see you too High Priestess.”

Zelda looked between them and the rest of the coven. A decision made. A hard one.

“I’ll go as soon as we’re done here.” Was her reply.

Hilda shook her head but followed Nick out of the church.

“What happened to her?” Hilda asked him once they were outside.

“I don’t really know.” That was the truth, he hadn't had time to ask her exactly what had happened “She told me that the woods tried to catch her. She is hurt and in pain.”

The latter only managed to hasten Hilda's steps.

* * *

Sabrina sighed when her aching body came in contact with the warm water of the bathtub. She looked at her hands, her palms as well as her knees were scraped and a bit swollen. She leaned back against the bathtub enjoying the scent of the aromatic herbs Hilda had included in her bath to help her with the pain.

She knew she was a mess.

While she was waiting for her aunt, she had looked at herself in the mirror, small cuts covered her face, neck, arms and legs. The parts of her body where the vines had held her were swollen and beginning to look more purple than red. She had touched the skin on her throat and winced because of the pain.

Only when the water began to cool she decided to get out of the tub. She noticed that her body was not as tense as it was and the pain had subsided a little.

“There you are,” Hilda commented when Sabrina came out of the bathroom “How are you feeling, love?”

“I’m better. It’s still hurt but less than before.”

Hilda nodded.

“Come, honey, I’m going to heal those wounds.”

Sabrina walked towards the bed and sat, Hilda sat at her side with a bowl of smashed herbs. Her aunt started to apply the poultice on her throat, wrists and ankles were the vines had held her tighter. She massaged until the mixture was completely impregnated on her niece skin.

“What happened, love?” her aunt asked almost in a whisper. Her mixture of herbs slowly eliminating the pain and swollenness of Sabrina’s wounds.

“I don’t really know, auntie.” she replied “Didn’t you notice something strange in the rain?” she asked instead.

“Well, it was unusual but this is Greendale after all.”

“That rain was unusual even for here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Someone or… something conjured it. I could feel the magic in the air when I left Cee’s, before it started to rain… It led me to the woods.”

“Sabrina…”

“I know I shouldn't have gone to there alone but… It was as it was calling me.”

“Calling you?”

Sabrina told her about the branches and vines that had trapped her, she told her about the screams she heard. How they had chilled her blood.

“I called my friends while I was waiting for you and they are fine” she said “But, auntie, their voices… they really were _their_ voices.”

Hilda patted the back of her hand gently.

“It wasn’t real, love.”

“But it _felt_ real, auntie.”

“Can you tell what you did this time, Sabrina?” Zelda said entering in the room with Ambrose behind her. She didn't bother to knock on the door but she stopped talking when she saw the state in which Sabrina was “What the heaven had happened to you?” this time there was no irritation in her voice just concern.

“I was attacked…” Sabrina said “by the woods.”

She explained to her aunt and cousin what had happened that afternoon. Ambrose stayed behind, leaning against the small desk, deep in thinking.

“The terrors…” Ambrose said, all the Spellman women looked at him waiting for him to explain “It’s still a theory but, from what Nicholas and I’ve been researching… This is something they do. Alter and twist reality. Show you your worst fears.”

“But how can we be sure of it?” Hilda asked, worry written all over her face.

“I’m afraid we can’t, auntie.” Ambrose replied “at least not yet. We need time.”

“Time is exactly what we don’t have, Ambrose.” Zelda said.

“I know. I’m going back to the library.”

“Do you need any help?” Sabrina asked getting up from the bed.

“You should rest, love.” Hilda said turning to Sabrina.

“Auntie is right, cousin. You need to rest.”

Sabrina nodded, she felt tired, too much had happened in too little time.

“You will stay at the Academy from now on, Sabrina.” Zelda said, Sabrina opened her mouth to refute but her aunt lifted her hand to stop her “Did you talk to your friends?” she nodded but the movement only made her wince “Everything is set then. There is no need for you to leave the limits of the Academy from now on.”

“But…”

“I’m not asking for your opinion, Sabrina. If your cousin is right, the woods are no longer safe. For neither of us.”

She was opening her mouth to refute but Hilda was quicker.

“We better let you rest, love.” She said giving Zelda a meaningful look before returning her attention towards Sabrina “get into bed, I’ll get you some tea to help you with the pain in a bit.”

“Thanks, auntie.” Sabrina knew she would get nothing by trying to continue arguing with her aunt. Besides, deep down she knew that Zelda was right.

She watched as her aunts left the room before getting into bed. She was tired, both physically and emotionally.

When Hilda returned, Sabrina was already asleep.

She put the tea on the nightstand and rearranged the blankets around her niece before giving her a brief kiss on her still slightly damp hair.

* * *

Sabrina woke up when she heard someone knock on the door. Her whole body protested when she got off the bed. She looked at the night table and noticed that Hilda had left the promised tea there, she took the cup in her hands, it was still warm, surely her aunt had put a spell on it to keep it that way. There was another knock on the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened slightly and Nick entered, she was surprised of seeing him there.

“Nick.”

He hesitated before getting closer to her.

“Hey,” he said “how are you feeling?”

“A bit sore, but better.” She answered before taking a sip of her tea.

Nick nodded understanding.

“Ambrose told me about what happened. He thinks it was one of the terrors Blackwood released.”

This time it was Sabrina who nodded.

“And what do you think?” she asked.

“I share his opinion.”

Sabrina nodded again, they stayed in silence, looking to everywhere except the other.

“I better go.” He said seconds later, Nick turned to leave but Sabrina’s voice stopped him.

“I heard your voice too,” she said, she didn’t know why she did it, the words just escaped from her lips “I’m sure Ambrose didn’t tell you that.”

“Sabrina…”

“I just wanted you to know…” she continued “That I… I care about you.”

He closed his eyes for a second.

“And I care about you too, but…”

“I know.” Sabrina stopped him, she didn’t want to hear him say why they couldn’t be together anymore. She already known.

Nick stared at her, there was something intense in the way he looked at her. There were so many things left unsaid between them, so many feelings lingering in the air, making it heavy. Almost unbreathable.

“Nick…”

“I better go,” he repeated “good night, Sabrina.”

Nick didn’t wait for her answer and left the room without looking back at her. He leaned his back against the closed door and close his eyes. His heart was beating faster.

He loved her but they couldn’t be together anymore.

He needed to leave. Seeing Sabrina every day and being unable to touch her, kiss her, was killing him. But he also knew he couldn’t leave now.

Not until Blackwood was defeated. Not until she was safe again.


	6. The discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, Spellman and co. come up with a plan. Nick and Prudence talk and... what the Heaven is happening in Hell?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay... and Happy Halloween!!

Zelda Spellman was pacing from one side of her office to the other, the heels of her shoes echoing on the floor, she had her cigarette holder ring in her finger and took a deep drag preparing herself for speaking. Her younger sister, sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk, was looking at her with concern in her eyes.

“Zelds?” she asked softly trying to get her sister’s attention.

“What are going to do?” Zelda asked more to herself than to Hilda “We only have five days left. Five days, Hilda!”

Hilda almost jumped off her chair.

“Zelda!” she said reproachfully but her older sister ignored her and continued pacing. Hilda took a deep breath “I think you need to calm down a bit.”

“How do you want me to calm down?” she snapped “Blackwood is out there, planning our death and we don’t even have a simple clue of where he might be or what he is up to.”

Hilda remained silent, she looked down at her hands, she couldn’t help looking at her engagement ring. Apparently the day she had dreamed of, without telling anyone since she was a child, it would never come.

“We have no hope, then?” she asked with a small voice. Her sister’s face seemed to soften when she looked back at her.

“Oh, Hildy…”

“I’m fine, I’m fine…” Hilda lied, she tried to wipe away some tears that threatened with falling from her eyes with the sleeve of her blouse.

Zelda was about to say something to her, even when she didn’t know very well what to say, when the door was thrown open, she turned to glare at whoever had entered with such a rush to her office.

Why no one in the Academy had manners?

“Sabrina, Prudence,” she said looking at the girls “what is the meaning of this?”

“Auntie…” Sabrina said breathlessly, Prudence beside her looked the same “Prudence saw something. Something important.”

“What? What did you see?” Zelda urged the girl to talk.

“I…” she started to say.

“I think Ambrose should be here too” Sabrina said. Her aunt blinked two times before nodding. Sabrina was right, it was better that every one of them knew what was happening at once.

“Go get him.” Was Zelda’s reply towards her niece “quickly.”

Sabrina nodded briefly before leaving the office with hurried steps. It wasn’t difficult for her to guess where her cousin could be, he had been spending most of his days, and part of his nights too, in the same place.

The Academy’s library.

The table that he and Nick had taken as their makeshift operations center was filled with old-fashioned books, notebooks and sheets of paper with scribbles that only they two truly understood.

“Ambrose… Nick…” she said drawing their attention towards her. They looked at her confused by her sudden entrance “We have to go to aunt Zelda’s office. Prudence… Prudence saw something.”

“Something? As…?” Ambrose asked.

“I don’t know, not all the details, but it’s important.” Sabrina answered “We need to go.”

Ambrose nodded, he took one of his notepads before leaving the library. The three walked in silence towards the High Priestess’ office.

“Finally.” Zelda said as soon as she heard the door being open “come, come in quickly.”

She waited until they had closed the door to address Prudence.

“Tell us, Prudence, what did you see?”

“I saw him.” She told them “I think I know where my father is.”

“Where is him?” this time it was Ambrose who asked.

“I saw him in the mines. Agatha was there too. He was… he was doing some sort of ritual I’ve never seen before. I can try to describe it but it didn’t make any sense to me… what he was doing.”

“The mines?” Ambrose exclaimed, he slapped his face with the palm of his hand “why didn’t I think about it before? He is hiding from us in plain sight!”

“What are we going to do now, auntie?” Sabrina asked. Her aunt was looking at the distance, with a finger tapping her lower lip, deep in thinking.

“We must attack him first.” She told them “That way we will have the surprise element to our favor.”

“Do you think that’s the wise thing to do, Zelda?” Hilda said “we are not even sure what we are up against…”

“Actually,” Ambrose interrupted her “we may know a bit more than we did before.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nick and I found a book, a really old book, in the Sanctum that makes reference to the Eldritch terrors, but it called them Eldritch abominations. Entities that have the ability to assume a physical form but also have a non-physical. It also confirmed what I told you about their ability to twist reality, I think Sabrina faced a non-physical form of said abomination in the woods.”

“In the woods? What happened to you in the woods?” Prudence asked. She was the only one in the room who didn’t know what had happened that day.

“I was attacked in there… or better said, by the woods itself. While I was trapped I was forced to hear the voices of my...” she looked briefly at Nick “ _friends_ being tortured, asking for help…”

“Voices…?” Prudence muttered “you heard voices?”

Sabrina nodded, her brow a bit furrowed while she looked confused at Prudence.

“Yes, and even when a part of me knew they couldn’t be, they were so…”

“So real…” Prudence complete for her.

“Yes, how did you know?”

Prudence took a deep breath.

“One night a few weeks ago, before you tell us about Blackwood, I heard the voices of my sisters, here at the Academy.”

Everyone looked at her.

“Why didn’t you tell us that before, Prudence?” the High Priestess asked to her.

“I never thought it could be related with this.”

“Has anyone else seen or heard something unusual and hasn’t shared it with us?”

Sabrina and Nick remained silent but they couldn’t help to look at each other. Neither of them wanted to share the experiences they had and now suspected were also related to the terrors.

“No? No one?”

No one said a word. Zelda looked from one to one before taking a deep breath.

“What else did you find out? Ambrose? Nicholas?”

“There is something in the text, it refers to a way to destroy this entity,” this time it was Nick who replied. Ambrose at his side nodded, everyone was expecting him to continue “they are more vulnerable in their physical form.”

“Well, and how do we kill it?”

“That wasn’t in the book. And we don’t know which form this abomination will take, but we are looking for a way to force it to remain in its physical form long enough to destroy it.”

“And what will we do with Blackwood? If we defeat his terror?”

“Kill him.” Prudence said “At the first opportunity. I don’t care anymore if I’m not the one doing it. I just want to see him dead.”

Zelda was silent, analyzing the situation, thinking about what would be the next step to take. They needed to come out with a plan and soon.

“We need a spell strong enough to destroy that creature.” She said.

“That’s the hard part. We don’t know what form it has,” Ambrose insisted “we don’t know if it is capable of changing form at will or if it only has one physical form. If he had affinity for a certain element…”

“Do you think we can… I don’t know, banish it?”

Nick and Ambrose denied almost at the same time.

“Eldritch terrors don’t come from the pit, they aren’t infernal. They are… something else.”

“Something else like…?”

“Something older than time but we don’t know exactly what.” Ambrose replied “But we can try to find out.”

“We don’t have time.” Zelda said “we have to come up with a plan to stop Blackwood.”

“This Eldritch terror… obeys only to Blackwood, doesn’t?” Sabrina asked, an idea forming in her mind.

“I think so. We can’t know for sure.” Ambrose answered.

“Then, maybe I could try to distract him so you could try to stop this creature.”

“That’s a good idea, cousin. But we’re going to need you if we want to achieve a spell powerful enough to stop them, your celestial blood may be our only advantage at this moment.”

“I will do it.” Prudence interjected.

“But…” Ambrose started to say but Prudence cut him off.

“It’s a good plan. The only one we have and someone has to do it. Let me do it.”

Zelda nodded, she understood Prudence. More than anything she needed revenge.

“Prudence is right.” She said, Ambrose opened his mouth to speak again but her aunt stopped him “Unless you have another idea, Ambrose…”

He shook his head. He couldn’t deny that his cousin had come up with a good plan but he didn’t like that Prudence made herself almost a target for Blackwood’s rage. He knew the man would stop at nothing. He didn’t care for no one except himself.

“When?” Prudence asked looking to Zelda “when will we do it?”

The High Priestess knew that everyone was looking at her, waiting for her to guide them, to make a decision.

“Tomorrow. At the witching hour.”

* * *

The alcohol burned down his throat.

That was the problem with addictions.

They never left.

You could control them, hide them under the carpet but they were always there, waiting for the right time to return. To take over you again.

He knew he shouldn’t go down that route again and yet he couldn’t find the strength in himself to avoid the fall.

Staying was killing him.

Greendale wasn’t a place where he could heal, he was sure of that. Too many memories, so much pain. But he couldn’t leave either, not while _she_ was in danger.

Nick put his head in his hands, a low groan escaped from his lips. He didn’t know what to do.

Staying was killing him, but leaving without knowing what Sabrina's fate would be…? That would be a thousand times worse.

A knock on the door made him lift his head. He frowned trying to think who it might be.

“Come in.” he said after hiding the bottle.

He was surprised to see Prudence there.

“Pru? What are you doing here?”

She looked at him before entering, she could smell the alcohol in the air and that made her wrinkle her nose. She closed the door behind her.

“We need to talk.”

Nick looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He wasn’t in the mood for a talk and Prudence noticed this.

“I know you’ve been going to Dorian’s again.” She said bluntly “This is wrong Nick. You…”

“It’s ok, Pru, I can control it.” He interrupted her.

She shook her head. She didn’t believe him. He could try to fool her but she wasn’t buying his lies.

Prudence sighed before she went to sit at his side in the bed.

“You can’t do this to yourself again, Nicky. It’s not good for you.”

He was opening his mouth to refute but she stopped him.

“No, you can’t and you know it.”

He remained silent and Prudence too, she didn’t really know what to say to him. She didn’t know very well what to do to help someone she considered, despite everything, a friend.

The only friend she had left.

But what to do? What to say? That she didn’t know.

“I saw him.” He suddenly said breaking the silence.

“Who?” Prudence didn’t know what he was talking about.

“Lucifer.” He replied “The other day, in the library.”

“Nick…”

He sighed again.

“Now I think that maybe it could have been just a hallucination, like the one you had but… It felt so real, Pru.” Nick told her “And it made me realize that everything is still here. That nothing has changed, that _I_ have not changed. Not really.”

He didn't tell her what he really felt. He didn’t tell her about the fear he felt, the pain, the disgust. He hated himself and suspected that too, deep down, he hated someone else a little too.

Sabrina.

Everything he had done, he had done it for her.

His mind was a mess.

He needed peace. He needed oblivion. But he didn't know where to find it. How to get it.

“Nicky…” she insisted, in an unusual gesture, she took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze “You can, you are strong. I know you are.”

He gave her a wry smile.

“She said the same,” Prudence didn’t need to ask who he was talking about “but that’s not true. I’m weak.”

Prudence took a deep breath.

“Have you thought that being here is not helping you?”

Nick nodded.

“Every single hour of every single day.”

“So… why are you still here?” she asked confused “You are free to go anywhere else. Nothing holds you here, so… why staying?”

He didn’t respond and just looked at her straight in the eye. His answer wrote in them.

“It’s because of Sabrina, right?”

Nick nodded again.

“You still love her.”

“I never said I didn’t love her.” Nick replied “I love her, but I’m not good for her. Not anymore…” he took a deep breath “maybe I never was.”

“Oh, Nicky…”

“Don’t. Please don’t try to tell me I’m good enough for her, you have no idea what I did, Prudence, you have no idea how much I hurt her.”

Prudence got an idea of what had happened between them. She had seen them both. She still saw the longing stares they directed to the other when they believed none one was looking at them.

But she didn’t say anything to him and just let go of his hand before standing up. She didn’t know anything about love, she wasn’t in a position to give him advice.

She walked towards the door but before leaving she turned to look at him.

“She still loves you.” She felt like he needed to hear that.

Nick didn’t say a thing; he didn’t even look up at her.

After Prudence closed the door, he let the air out of his lungs before collapsing onto the bed, he put a hand over his eyes.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow night everything would end, for better or for worse.

* * *

Sabrina Morningstar looked at everyone gathered around the huge table. Her eyes slid over the overly made-up faces, the flamboyant dresses, the extravagant jewelry and the fake smiles that were directed to her.

Liars. All of them liars.

Some of them were plotting against her and she knew it. They couldn’t fool her; she knew that behind those smiles there were daggers ready to stab her in the back at the first opportunity.

She could be Queen of Hell, but mostly in name only. Even if it bothered her to admit it, Lucifer was right, she didn’t have any real power.

Not yet.

Also, her little outburst from the other day had ended up showing him more than she wanted of her true feelings.

Her father, the devil himself, the Dark Lord witches and warlocks around the world worshiped, was sitting at the other end of the table. He raised his cup towards her in a fake toast.

The bastard smiled as her but she knew he was planning a _coup d’etat_ against her.

And she knew that he would have the support of almost all the old infernal aristocracy. After all, they weren’t very happy with her attempts to reform the old ways that ruled over Hell.

She was alone.

But she wouldn’t hand over her crown without a fight, not after losing so much to win it.

After a few more hours of meaningless conversations, veiled requests for favors and false flattery, Sabrina finally ended the dinner by announcing that she was retiring to her room. She was tired and sick of all the hierarchy of Hell.

“Good night, daughter.” Lucifer said with a hint of mockery in his voice.

She simply answered him with a nod before leaving the room.

Her footsteps echoed in the empty corridor and the torches on the walls lit up her path, her room had never seemed so far before. She was tired after a day’s work and she only wanted to lie down in her bed.

Probably awake, thinking in a way to kept the crown.

“Your Majesty.”

Sabrina turned around a bit startled, she hadn’t noticed that he was following her.

“Caliban.”

“I would like to discuss something with you, if you have the time.”

She didn’t have it. She just wanted to go to bed, but deep down, she was curious about what he had to say to her.

“I’m listening.”

He approached to her, his hand slid over the bare skin of her arm, she didn’t like the chill she felt at his touch.

It wasn’t completely unpleasant.

She pulled away from him. If Caliban was hurt by her rejection, he didn’t show it.

“Not here. After all,” he whispered close to her ear “the walls have ears in this palace.”

Sabrina nodded knowing very well what Caliban was referring to.

“Why don’t we take a walk in the gardens?” he offered “It’s a beautiful night.”

Sabrina accepted the arm he was offering to her.

Caliban did not speak about his intentions until they were outside the palace, away for any prying eyes, Sabrina took a moment to see the lights of Pandemonium shining in the darkness of the night.

“What do you want to talk about, Caliban?” she said turning to look at him

He leaned against one of the walls.

“I don’t think what I’m about to tell you will surprise you, but… Some people might be plotting against you, my queen.”

Sabrina looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“I already knew that.”

“And what are you going to do about it?” he asked looking for an answer in Sabrina’s eyes but she had none “You have no idea what to do, don’t you… _your majesty_?”

“Watch the tone in which you speak to me. I can bring you back to the stone I pulled you out from for being so impertinent.

She didn’t like the arrogant smile she saw in Caliban’s lips. He didn’t believe in her warning, of that Sabrina was sure.

And that was not good.

“I think I can be more useful to you here than locked up in that stone, my queen.”

“What do you mean?” she was looking him straight in the eyes.

“It’s easy, there is a way you can keep your crown.”

“Which way? Tell me” she demanded.

“Marry me and I’ll protect your crown.”

Sabrina let out a snort before rolling her eyes towards him.

“Again with that?” she asked sarcastically “You already asked me once and my answer was…”

“I think you should consider my proposal more carefully this time, my queen.” Caliban insisted “I have something that you don’t. Something you need.”

“And that is?” she didn’t notice but he got closer to her, his eyes shining with mischief, as if he were enjoying the whole situation.

“I have the support of a large part of the aristocracy. Marry me and they will support you too. And for real this time.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Caliban brought one of his hands to Sabrina’s cheek but she pulled away, she wasn’t in the mood for games that night.

“You know it’s true. You don’t have much choice, my queen. It’s a matter of time before your father make his move and tell me… Do you have any real ally in this place?”

Sabrina looked down, she had to admit that he was right. She was absolutely alone in Hell. The only thing closest to an ally she had there it was Caliban.

“I can help you defend your crown,” he insisted “as long as you are willing to share some of the power with me.”

“I’m not going to name you king if that what you are looking for.” He smiled arrogantly again, he could tell that she was beginning to consider his proposal and that pleased him greatly “ _If_ ,” she put special emphasis on the word “I accept your proposal the title that would correspond to you would be Prince Consort and nothing more.”

He waved his hand as if dismissing the matter. He could try to convince her to change her mind later. He would have an eternity to do it.

“Then, you accept?”

Sabrina debated about what to do. Part of her screamed that no, that she should not accept under any circumstance, that marrying Caliban was a complete insanity.

But another part of her, the queen, knew that marrying him was the only alternative she had to retain power.

She sighed before nodding slowly. Caliban smiled arrogantly at her, in his eyes there was a hint of lust too.

“This is going to be only a political agreement.” She told him reading his intentions. She could fool around with him, but she wasn't going to get further than some kisses in some dark corner.

She wasn’t ready. She didn’t want to be ready either.

Not when her heart longed for someone else.

“But then the marriage wouldn’t be valid,” he said “you know, if is not… _consummated_.”

“No one has to know.” Sabrina insisted.

“Come on, my queen,” he said, this time in a quick movement he caught her by the waist and pulled her closer to his chest “we have been having a good time together. Why not make it even more pleasant?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, next chapter it's a pretty important one... but before, let me know what you think about this one.


	7. Ready for battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... are we ready to face Blackwood and his terrors?

Ambrose heard the sound of the steel being sharpened as he entered into the Desecrated Church. Prudence was in one of the benches of the front row preparing her swords, even with all the noise she was making, she noticed that someone had entered. That night her senses were heightened, preparing for battle.

She turned around to look at who had entered.

“Hey.” Ambrose said a bit hesitantly. It was the first time they were alone in months and the weight of all the unsaid things between them filled the air.

“Ambrose.” Prudence replied with a nod before refocusing on the task at hand.

He stood next to her for a few seconds, unsure of what to do, what to say.

He decided to say nothing and just went to sit on the platform in the back of the Church. Ambrose looked at his hands unsure of what to do. He had arrived too early, he hadn’t thought there would be anyone in the Church yet, but as many other things in his life, he had been wrong. His eyes couldn’t help but wander towards Prudence sometimes, to her gaze of concentration as she admired her work.

Ambrose wanted to talk to her but he didn’t know what to say so he lowered his gaze, nor a second later Prudence looked up at him and sighed almost imperceptibly, Ambrose Spellman made her feel weak and she couldn’t feel that way that night.

She needed to focus, she had a mission to accomplish.

After killing her father and getting her sisters and brother back maybe she could think about Ambrose and the feelings she had for him, because even if she tried, she couldn’t keep denying she still felt something for him.

Something that she never thought she could feel for someone other than her sisters.

“Prudence…?” he called her in a hesitant tone, she looked at him straight in the eye.

“Don’t,” she replied without looking away from him “not tonight. Please.”

Ambrose nodded. She was right, this was not time to talk about feelings. This was time to prepare for battle.

The tension that filled the air dissipated slightly when Sabrina entered minutes later, Salem was walking at her side, he meowed before jumping at the platform next to Ambrose. The cat rubbed against his side seeking to be petted. Ambrose scratched his ears absently.

“Hi, Prudence.”

“Sabrina.” She answered without taking her eyes off her sword.

Sabrina went to sit next to her cousin. He seemed nervous. She was nervous too. No one knew what was going to happen that night.

Were they going to be alive when the night was over?

“You ok?” she couldn’t help asking him in a whisper. She gave a brief glance to Prudence. Ambrose shrugged “You should talk to her, you know.” Sabrina added “when all this is over.”

He nodded.

“Well, you should try that too, cousin.” He said and Sabrina looked at him confused until realization came to her.

“It’s not the same, Ambrose.” She said in a tone that left no doubt she didn’t want to talk about it.

Ambrose sighed.

“What a par we are.” he added before extending his arm to give her a side hug, she snuggled closer to him before nodding, her eyes closing, she felt comforted being in her cousin arms.

The door creaked open and they looked up to see Nick entering, he only nodded towards them before going to sit in one of the benches at the middle of the Church. Sabrina looked towards him. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him.

He didn’t look well, he was a bit pale and she could see the dark circles under his eyes and how tense his body was.

“He shouldn’t be here.” Sabrina said to her cousin “This is not good for him.”

“I doubt he’d be here if he didn’t want to be.”

“I know but… He… maybe, maybe I should talk to him.” she added getting up from the platform but could not move forward because at that moment the door opened again. She looked how her aunts entered into the Church.

“Children,” Zelda said as greeting before redirecting her gaze to her sister “Hilda, if you would be so kind to prepare everything.”

Hilda nodded and started to prepare the candles and the salt circle for the ritual Zelda wanted to perform that night before they went into the mines.

The others remained in silence looking Hilda working, Prudence had ended sharpening her swords and had placed them in her back ready to use them when needed. Ambrose was looking at her.

He couldn’t help but remember when they were around the world trying to hunt down Blackwood. And now, they were about to go after the man again.

“All set, Zelds.” Hilda indicated some minutes later.

The High Priestess nodded.

“Come.” She urged the others to gather around the circle on the floor. Sabrina took Ambrose’s hand and extended her right hand towards Nick who was at her side, he hesitated before taking it.

His hand was cold but hers was warm. And he had missed that warmth.

He had missed her. Nick sighed almost imperceptibly.

She couldn’t help but give his hand a soft squeeze.

“We are going to entrust our mission to the goddess. To ask for protection.” Zelda said in a solemn tone “Hecate. Triple goddess, we implore for your protection in this hour of need.”

The rest began to chant, repeating every one of her words.

“Give us your power. Give us your strength.”

“Give us your power.” They repeated “Give us your strength.”

“So be it.”

Zelda opened her eyes and looked at them, despite her confident demeanor there was a fair amount of nervousness she didn’t show to the others. They needed a leader that night and she had to play that part.

A part of her suspected Blackwood knew what they were up to.

And she didn’t want to imagine what he would do to them if he won.

“Ready?” she asked instead of vocalizing her true fears.

“As ready as we can be, auntie.” Ambrose said trying to relax the atmosphere. Zelda just shook her head with her lips pursed.

“ _Lanuae magicae.”_

The night was unusually cold. A chill ran down Sabrina’s back when she saw the entrance to the mines. She could feel the magic in the air but it was a different kind of magic not the one she was used to. Ancient, dark, powerful. And she knew it had nothing to do with the gates of Hell.

It was something else.

“Do you know exactly where he is, Prudence?” Zelda asked to the girl.

The girl nodded, her gaze shifting slightly towards Nick before answering.

“He is in front of the gates.”

Zelda nodded before starting the march towards the mines, the rest started to follow her in silence but Sabrina noticed how Nick was staying behind.

She looked back at him.

“You don’t have to do this, Nick.” Sabrina told him “You can go back to the Academy. Blackwood has nothing against you.”

He sighed.

“Sabrina…”

“Why are you doing this…? You don’t have to.” she insisted.

He gave her a small sad smile. They were about to face their death, maybe it was time to be honest with her. After all, he had nothing to lose.

“It’s because of you.”

“Nick…” she said his name in a whisper. She wanted to get closer to him, hold him. She wanted to tell him so many things but in the end said nothing.

“I care about you too.” He said echoing her words from the other night.

“Nick… you don’t have to do this. Not because of me.”

“Sabrina, Nicholas, don’t stay behind.” Zelda said to them, breaking the moment. The others were already almost at the entrance of the mines waiting for them.

“Nick…” Sabrina whispered, she tried to reach for his hand.

“Sabrina!” Zelda insisted in a hushed tone.

The girl sighed resignedly before advancing towards the entrance with Nick behind her.

A small ball of fire that Zelda had conjured was their only source of light while they descended into the depths of Greendale’s mines. A rotten scent filled the air making it almost unbreathable. The smell was too similar at the one Sabrina felt that afternoon in the woods.

No one spoke, they hardly breathed as they walked in silence, deep down they knew Blackwood was waiting for them. They could feel it in their bones.

“’Brina? ‘Brina?”

She stopped and turned around, only Nick was behind her and he looked at her confused. The voice, that sounded so similar to Roz’s called for her again.

And again.

“Sabrina, you ok?” Nick asked, he went to her side and took her by the shoulders. She was trying to cover her ears to stop the voices but they continued calling for her in her mind “Sabrina?”

She wanted to scream. She wanted to run looking for her friends but Nick’s hands held her tightly. Maybe too tightly she noticed when his grip became almost painful.

Sabrina looked at him, his eyes were clouded, she could see in his expression that he was too far away, lost in memories. His hands fell from her shoulders before he fell to his knees on the ground.

“Nick?” she hurried to kneel beside him, she tried to meet his gaze with hers “Nick, listen to me, it’s not real. Whatever you are seeing it’s not real.” Sabrina added realizing that she no longer heard the voices of her friends. It was one of those terrors playing tricks with her mind and now with Nick’s “It’s not real.” She insisted, her hands cupping his cheeks.

He blinked before moving closer to her until he hid his face on her neck, Sabrina could feel his shaky breath on her skin. She put her arms around him and he let her.

He didn’t pull away.

“Cousin? What’s wrong…?” Ambrose asked, everything had happened in less than a minute. He went suddenly silent. The images that only tormented him in his nightmare came to him.

“Ambrose?”

“What the heaven is going on?” Zelda asked in an indignant whisper.

“The terrors, auntie.” Sabrina answered her but her aunt was no longer listening, she also had a blank look. Her mind lost in the memories when she was under the Blackwood’s spell. When she was nothing more than a doll for him to play with.

“What’s going on honey?” Hilda asked.

“The terrors.” Ambrose replied this time, his gaze had returned to normal, but his face was pale and sweaty.

Nick came back to reality too, reluctantly he pulled away from Sabrina. She missed him immediately and he missed her too.

So much.

“Agatha?”

“Oh no.” Ambrose exclaimed and hurried to Prudence’s side.

“Agatha?!”

“It’s not real, Prudence.” He said, he tried to wrap his arms around her to stop her but she struggled to break free, her sister’s voice was like a sharp knife piercing her heart.

“Let go of me,” she blurted out “Let go of me, aren’t you listening? She needs me! She is here.”

“It’s not her, Prudence. Blackwood is messing with all our minds. He knows we are here.”

“No! It’s her, I know it’s her.” She insisted freeing herself form his grasp and running towards one of the tunnels.

“Prudence!” he exclaimed before following her.

“Auntie Zee?” Sabrina asked, her aunt was unusually quiet. She saw a single tear fall from one of her eyes “Auntie Zee?” she insisted, Zelda blinked rapidly, her eyes losing their cloudiness.

“What… what happened?” she asked still a little confuse.

“Blackwood knows we are here. His terrors attacked us. Our minds.”

“And Prudence, poor little lamb, ran out calling for Agatha, Ambrose went after her.”

“He knows we are here.” Zelda said, she was still confused, part of her still trapped in the nightmare “Come on quickly, Ambrose and Prudence may be needing us.”

They ran through the same tunnel that Prudence and Ambrose had disappeared in, they weren't too far away. But they weren't alone either.

Blackwood was there too, sitting on a rock.

“Oh, and here comes my dear wife.” He said looking at the newcomers “And her lovely family. Nicholas? you are here too.” He shook his head in a disappointed gesture “I must have suspected, what a pity, you had such a bright future.”

Blackwood’s words made Sabrina feel guilty because she knew the man was right.

She had ruined him.

“Shut up.” Prudence said, she wanted to draw her sword but then she realized she couldn’t move “What did you do to us?”

The others also noticed that they couldn’t move. They were trapped.

“We are going to have a little chat first.”

But Prudence didn’t want to talk. She wanted blood.

“Where are they?” Prudence demanded ignoring his words “Where is Agatha?” she didn’t like the fact of not seeing them there, Blackwood was a crazy man who didn’t care or love anyone. A man who wouldn’t stop at nothing.

“Oh well, well, we’re impatient, aren’t we?” Blackwood said, too pleased with himself, too calm “They are somewhere in these mines. But I think you will have to find out where.”

She tried to move but again she couldn’t.

“By the way, daughter, I didn’t thank you for bringing everyone here. You did an excellent job.”

“You let me see you here. It was a trap” She said feeling stupid for having fallen into it. Blackwood nodded.

The man laughed in a terrifying way. Madness could be see shinning in his eyes.

“Of course you found me because I wanted you to do it. Brilliant, isn’t it? I didn’t even have to move to look for you, you came willingly to me.”

“We came to end you.” Zelda told him.

The laugher of the former High Priest of the Church of Night turned maniacal and echoed inside the walls of the mine.

“Oh, no, no, no, my dear wife. _I’m_ going to end you. All of you.”

The sound of something slimy sliding down the rocks on the walls, a rotten smell stronger than before, filled the air. They looked around the place for the source of the sound that seemed to be everywhere.

“Well, I think you already know what awaits you, right? You already had a taste of what it feels like to be inside your worst nightmares, well imagine what it feels like to be in them until you die.”

“We are going to kill you first.” Prudence blurted.

“And how are you going to do that? You don't have the protection of your Dark Lord anymore and if you think your pathetic attempt to revive a long-extinct goddess’ cult is going to work...” he shook his head “You are completely wrong.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Prepare to see something that is beyond your imagination. Beyond your abilities. Prepare to face true terror. I think it’s time you knew each other. I really enjoyed our little reunion, but I don’t think it will repeat in the future.”

Blackwood laughed one last time before disappearing into the thin air.

“Shit!” Prudence mumbled as she shed the magical bonds that had held her captive “He’s gone.”

The other began to break free as well.

“Go after him.” Zelda told Prudence.

Prudence nodded. She had a mission.

“Prudence…” Ambrose started to say “let me…”

“No.” she interrupted him “I need to do this alone. I can do it.”

The girl murmured a tracking spell that showed her the remnants of Blackwood’s magic. She followed the trace until she disappeared too behind some rocks.

While this was happening, the substance that had started to group in the middle of the room took the form of a creature none of them had seen before and that left them in awe. It was a being with an amorphous body, apparently without eyes, that stood in front of them with an enormous mouth with teeth similar to those of a shark and long twisting tentacles coming out from said mouth.

“Unholy shit.” Ambrose said under his breath.

The creature screeched so high it made everyone cover their ears trying to muffle the noise.

“What do we do?” Sabrina almost screamed to the others.

“We must destroy that thing.” Zelda said.

“But how?”

“I could try with hellfire.” Sabrina offered “See if it does something to it.”

“That…” Ambrose said “might be a good idea, cousin.”

“Do it, Spellman.” Nick encouraged her and she felt her heart ache a little when she heard him call her that.

Sabrina stepped forward a bit to face the creature that twisted its tentacles as if with them were able to compensate the senses it apparently lacked.

She concentrated and summoned the hellfire in the palms of her hands, the blue flames rose and she threw them towards the creature that let out a new screech before momentarily withdrawing towards one of the mines walls.

Sabrina threw a new ball of hellfire towards the creature before turning slightly to look at her family.

“It works.” She said “It works.”

“Well done, Sabrina.” Zelda told her. Pride could be heard in her voice.

She gave her aunt a brief smile and she was turning back to attack the creature again, when it extended one of it tentacles until it reached twice its size and grabbed her by the neck.

“Sabrina!”

The terror raised her above the heads of the others, she tried to free herself with her hands but only got the creature to grip her tighter. Not only was taking her breath away, when the tentacle came in contact with her skin the terror had begun to show her each one of her fears. Each one of her faults. It was horrible to look at it, but it didn’t matter if she kept her eyes open or closed, the images were on her mind and it seemed like they would never go away.

The air became increasingly scarce for her.

Suddenly she felt herself falling and the terror screaming again with what it seemed to be pain, she thought she was going to impact the ground but someone stopped her fall, but not the power of the terror over her. The tentacle was still around her throat, as if it continued having life no matter that it had been severed from it body.

“Sabrina?”

She wanted to say his name but only a strangled sound came out of her lips. She saw the worried faces of her aunts and cousin around her.

Nick reached up to remove the tentacle but Sabrina shook her head frantically. She was sure the thing was able to affect you more when you had contact with it.

She didn’t want him to repeat another of his nightmares.

“Don’t…” she managed to say “hands…”

He seemed to understand her anyway. With a movement of his hand the tentacle disintegrated into dust.

“Better?” he asked, she coughed before answering with a weak nod.

Nick helped her to her feet. His hand still holding hers.

“How are you love?” Hilda said approaching to her, she let go of Nick’s hand while her aunt checked her with her eyes. She worried when she saw the red marks on Sabrina’s throat.

“The fire…” she coughed again, her throat felt scratchy “worked?”

Before any of them could answer her the terror did with a high pitched scream.

Ambrose moved quickly, his outstretched hands forming an invisible shield between them and the abomination.

“That wanted to attack us first.” He said as a way of explanation “I can try to hold it for a while, but we must do something quickly.”

“Let me help you.” Nick told him and Ambrose nodded slightly, all his concentration was focused on holding the creature that was beginning to push against the shield with its tentacles.

“What do we do, auntie?” Sabrina asked, Hilda looked worried but Zelda seemed to be deep in thinking. Her eyes twinkled when an idea formed in her mind.

At least they could try.

“We cannot banish it.” She said suddenly “but we can try to destroy it in the name of Hecate.”

The other looked at her confused.

“Sabrina, Hilda, I will need your help. Ambrose, Nicholas, try to hold on that creature.”

“What are you planning to do, Zelda?” Hilda asked.

“We are going to perform a ritual.”

“What ritual?” Sabrina asked this time.

“Just follow me.” Hilda and Sabrina nodded “We need to surround it, so you must keep it distracted.” She said towards Ambrose and Nick.

There was little space between them and the creature and the scent coming from it was almost unbearable.

“Sabrina,” Zelda said “I need you to draw a waxing moon on the ground in front of you.”

Sabrina nodded, she had a slight idea about what her aunt wanted to achieve.

“Hilda, a full moon.”

Zelda also drew a waning moon in front of her.

“We invoke the power of the goddess.” She started to say and her sister and niece followed her.

Somehow, they knew what they had to do, it was almost natural, as if the knowledge had always been there waiting to be awakened. Acknowledged.

“We summon the maiden.” Sabrina said.

“We summon the mother.” It was Hilda’s turn.

“We summon the wisdom of the old woman.” Zelda concluded.

They raised their arms as if they wanted to touch each other despite the distance between them, Sabrina could feel the power running through her veins. It was a different kind of power, it was not as the one she felt when they performed a ritual for the Dark Lord, this was something else. Something bigger.

Something powerful.

“We invoke the three faces of the goddess. The three faces of the woman. The three faces of the moon.”

From the moons drawing on the ground in front of each one of them, a blazing light appeared and rose to the roof of the mines.

“Destroy our enemy.”

They clenched their hands into fists and when they opened their hands the abomination in the middle exploded in a cloud of dust.

The three were breathing rapidly, their hearts were pounding and their limbs felt heavy after using so much energy.

“We made it disappear.” Sabrina said when she noticed the pile of dust where the creature had been.

“We did.”

“We need to find Prudence now.” Ambrose said “She maybe needs us.”

Despite their exhaustion, the Spellman women nodded.

* * *

Prudence walked following the trail of magic until she reached another dead-end, she cursed before turning back. Her father was playing tricks with her.

She left the tunnel, the traces of magic began to fade, although it was not as if they had been of much help to her, they continued to take her from one dead-end to another.

She decided to try another route, something told her that her father was also tired of this stupid game.

“Father.” She said when she finally saw him.

With drawn swords she began to approach to him, Blackwood looked unusually calm, as if the two sharp swords weren’t actually a real threat. She quickened her pace, fury could be seen in her dark eyes, but when she was about to launch the first blow of her sword, he disappeared. Prudence stopped almost facing the stone wall and turned.

Blackwood was now blocking the entrance to the tunnel. And she couldn’t move.

“If you only had known to stay in your place.” He told her.

“And what is that place, father? Under your boot?”

“So much wasted potential. You should have come with me.”

“You almost killed the entire coven. You almost killed my sisters.”

He shrugged as if what he had done meant nothing.

“They must be dead by now.” He commented.

“Or your monster may be.” She told him.

Her father laughed.

“They don’t have a chance against it. You don’t have a chance against me either.”

She broke free of the magical bonds that held her prisoner and moved forward, Blackwood didn’t move and her sword pierced his abdomen.

And he didn’t even flinch.

She widened her eyes in surprise and pulled her sword out of his body, it was covered in his blood, so why wasn’t he on the floor bleeding to death?

“What the heaven…?”

“You will see, my dear daughter,” he said advancing, Prudence began to back into the tunnel because she had no other way to go “I have been given a very special gift.” He added, Blackwood lifted his sleeve to show her the mark.

“It cannot be possible…”

“Oh, but it is.” He replied “So your little swords don’t scare me. You can’t kill me. No one can.”

He placed his hands on her throat.

“You on the contrary...”

She couldn’t breathe. She tried to fight him, to think of some spell that would help her but there was nothing she could do, her vision began to blur.

Blackwood stopped when a terrifying screech filled the mine sending chunks of rock tumbling to the ground.

“Impossible.” He muttered.

Then something strange happened, for a moment he was very still, his hands on her neck now lacked of strength and finally she was able to breath.

Blackwood’s eyes turned a strange color. When he blinked again, his eyes were back to their usual color.

Blackwood fell to the ground and Prudence fell to her knees, her hands on her sore throat as she coughed and tried to catch as much air as she could.

“Prudence!”

Ambrose.

“But how…” she asked in a small voice as she walked towards him. Ambrose wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and never let her go but he knew she wouldn’t accept him.

“Sleeping spell.” He explained.

“Right.” She replied “why didn’t I think about it before?”

“It will not last long.” Ambrose replied. The others could arrive at any moment; he had gone ahead because his concern for Prudence had driven him to run faster than the rest “Between all of us we can get rid of him.”

Prudence shook her head in denial.

“We cannot.”

“What do you mean…?”

“He has… the mark of Cain in his arm.”

Ambrose swore under his breath.

“Ambrose, Prudence…” Zelda said appearing at the tunnel entrance “You killed him.” She said seeing Blackwood on the ground a big red stain spreading on his back.

They denied.

“Auntie… we have a problem.”

“What happened now?”

“He is not dead.” This time was Prudence who talked “He has the mark of Cain, I don’t know how he got it but… I pierced him with my sword and it was as if I had done nothing.”

“And then why…?”

“Sleeping spell.”

“Then we better get him to the dungeons as quickly as possible, at least we’ll have him where we can see him. Until we can figure out a way to fix the problem definitively.”

“But… what about my sister?”

“You’re right. He didn’t say where they were?”

“You go to the Academy, auntie. I’ll help Prudence here.” Ambrose replied.

Zelda nodded.

“I can stay to help.” Sabrina said.

“Me too.”

“I think your skills will be more useful in the Academy, Nicholas. We are going to need your help.” Zelda admitted “Yours too Sabrina.”

They nodded before teleporting back to the Academy with Blackwood.

Prudence and Ambrose stayed in silence for an instant.

“We must find them.”

Ambrose nodded.

“Don’t you think he may…?”

“They are alive.” Prudence interrupted him “I can feel Agatha, she is close. We only need to find out where.”

“Let’s go then.”

It wasn’t difficult to find them, Agatha and the twins were kept gagged and tied to a rock a few tunnels below.

“Agatha!” Prudence exclaimed, she ran over to where her sister was, untying her while Ambrose did the same for the twins. She searched Agatha’s gaze with her eyes but she continued with the same blank look from before “Oh, Agatha.” She said before hugging her.

“We must go back.”

She nodded. She didn’t want to stay in that place for another second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what do you think of this one.


	8. A hopeless place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! A small warning, just remember this fic it's "mature" for... well, a number of reasons actually.  
> Also, this is one of the longest chapters I wrote so far so I hope you enjoy it!

Sabrina Morningstar looked at herself in the mirror. A sad smile crossed her red lips, but she held it back and it only lasted less than second.

That night, before dinner, she would make an announcement that would surely shock many.

Especially her _dear_ old dad.

Now her smile grew wider as she thought about what his reaction would be. A kind of sordid pleasure filled her.

She was sure no one was expecting this move from her. They all thought she was ignorant of their plans. But they were wrong.

She smoothed the skirt of her black dress and took a deep breath before leaving her room.

Her footsteps echoed down the empty hall as she made her way to the antechamber where her guests were waiting for her arrival.

She hated them all.

She waited behind the double door until one of the palace’s minions announced her presence to her guests. When the doors opened, everyone bowed their heads towards her as a sign of respect. Everyone, except for Lucifer who was staring at her as if he knew she had a plan and he didn’t like it. She entered in the room with regal steps, the others raised their heads only when she stopped walking. Sabrina cleared her throat to get their attention.

It was time.

“Before we got to the dining room,” she started to say, her eyes surveying the room. Looking at all the faces, looking at all the fake smiles “I have an announcement to make.”

The courtiers looked at her expectantly, some muttered under their breath, wondering what their queen wanted to tell them. Others waited in respectful silence.

“I’m getting married.” Sabrina said, she could see confusion on some faces, surprise on others, and barely contained anger on Lucifer’s.

“And who is the lucky groom, Your Highness?” Beelzebub asked, although, from the arrogant smile on his lips she suspected he already knew the answer.

“Prince Caliban.”

The murmurs grew louder, some seemed outraged, others pleased with the news.

Caliban walked over her but he was passed by Lucifer. He glared at his future father-in-law.

“Let me congratulate you, daughter.” He said placing his hands on Sabrina’s bare shoulders, his fingers digging into her pale skin painfully but she didn’t change her serene facial expression. He leaned closer, as if he was hugging her, only to whisper in her ear “Have you gone mad, child?”

She kept her smile facing the crowd.

“None of that, _father_. I only do what is necessary to protect _my_ crown.”

He pulled away from her, defiance shone in Sabrina’s eyes. Anger in his.

“You and I are going to talk later.” Lucifer said under his breath.

Her smile only grew.

“I can’t wait.” She answered sarcastically.

Caliban continued walking towards her, he put one of his hands around her waist. He seemed extremely pleased because he was getting what he wanted. Some of the courtiers approached to the couple to extend their congratulations on their imminent wedding, she replied to their well wishes with a false smile.

“Why don’t we have dinner?” Sabrina asked to her guests some minutes later, tired of all the fake smiles and compliments. She returned her attention to Lucifer “I think it’s up to you to escort me to the dining room, father.”

He reluctantly offered his arm to her.

Dinner was as boring as they always were, the hours in which plate after plate was brought from the kitchen to delight the palates of those presents seemed eternal to her. She barely touched her food.

But the wine flowed freely. And there were not a few aristocrats who dedicated their toasts to the future bride and groom. She suspected that more than one of the demons present was frankly drunk. Even she felt a bit dizzy, because of the improvised speeches and compliments or because of the wine, she was not sure.

When it was finally time for her to retire to her chambers Sabrina sighed in relief.

She needed to be alone. At least for a few hours.

She let her maids help her out of her elaborate dress and corset, the delicacy of her silk camisole against her skin make her sigh.

Now that the aristocracy knew about her marriage she was sure the news was traveling fast throughout Pandemonium, reaching even the farthest circles of Hell, by the time she woke up the next morning everyone, demon or soul, would know of her impeding wedding.

She didn’t feel a quota of enthusiasm about it.

When she was a little girl and Roz and her thought about their dream wedding day, it was nothing like what would happen now. She would not have her aunts or her cousin or her best friends by her side… She barely tolerated the groom.

She wished he was someone else.

She wasn’t getting married for love as she always wished. She was marrying for power.

She had done so many things for power.

Sabrina was about to climb onto her bed when her bedroom door was slammed open.

She must have suspected this would happen, what’s more, she was surprised that he had taken so long to go there to demand explanations from her.

“Have you lost your mind, child?!”

Sabrina looked at Lucifer with a raised eyebrow, she crossed her arms over her chest in a clearly defensive attitude.

“No. I haven’t.”

“So what explanation do you have for wanting to marry? And with that piece of clay no less!”

“I have my reasons, not that they are any of your business, father.”

The door slammed shut behind Lucifer, he didn’t want or was going to tolerate interruptions. His nostrils flared and his fists were clenched tightly. He was furious.

“If you have so little appreciation for your crown, why don’t you give it back to me?”

“It’s precisely because I appreciate my crown that I am doing this. I’m well aware of your plans, father. You should be more discreet about your ambitions.”

“If you just stop making stupid decisions…”

“Stupid decisions? Really? Wanting to reform this place is a stupid decision?”

“You were supposed to rule alongside me. But all you do is not listen to me!”

“I am my own person, I’m not a puppet you can be moving around at your will.” She replied, her voice also rising “You wanted me to be queen, now you can’t expect me not to act like one.”

“If I wanted to… I could kill you as easily as you kill a fly.” Lucifer threatened her, fury shinning in his eyes.

She laughed sardonically.

“Try it, _father_.” She answered with scathing voice. Something inside of her told her he wouldn’t be able to kill her so easily. Not anymore.

He glared at her. That girl was going to be the ruin of the Morningstar.

“You, shameless girl. You are going to ruin yourself. You are going to ruin us.”

“If it is going to be like that, it will be because I decided so.”

“He is going to try to take your power away. He could try to kill you in your sleep for all I know.”

“He can try, yes, but you underestimate me, father.”

“Stupid girl. I’m ashamed to be your father” he said before leaving the room in the same hasty manner in which he had entered.

Sabrina snorted, fury coursing through her veins with the intensity of burning lava.

“And I’m ashamed to be your daughter.” She told to the empty room.

She rang the bell that was on her nightstand and she rarely used. One of her maids appeared almost immediately, her head bowed towards the queen.

“Tell Prince Caliban that his presence is required in my chambers. Immediately.”

The maid nodded her head still bowed when she left the room to fulfill her mistress’s request.

Sabrina’s temper didn’t improve as she waited for him to appear.

How dare Lucifer to question her actions? Especially when he knew she was doing it just because he was trying to overthrow her.

She needed to find a way to get rid of him.

Sabrina smiled, an idea started to form in her mind.

“Did you call for me, my queen?” Caliban asked her entering in the room without knocking, he didn’t have time to ask anything else before Sabrina’s lips were on his.

The way she kissed him was almost violent but he didn’t seem to care. What’s more, the way he tightened her waist told her that he was actually enjoying it.

She felt his lips slide down her neck and a brief moan escaped from her lips as she straddled him in the bed.

When she opened her eyes, it wasn’t Caliban’s eyes the ones she saw. Her hands were no longer in his blond hair but instead were running through some dark curls she knew very well.

It wasn’t his lips the ones she was kissing. It wasn’t his lips the ones she longed for.

_Nick._

She felt Caliban’s hand slide down the curve of her thigh.

Sabrina pulled away. She couldn’t do that.

“Stop!” she said when he tried to bring her closer to him.

She couldn’t do that. She couldn’t do it when it was someone else her heart and body yearned for.

 _Nick_.

“What happens?”

“Leave.” She ordered him getting off from his lap. She put some distance between them.

“What?” he asked confused.

“Leave.” Sabrina demanded with a slow cold tone “Now.”

“What’s wrong? Virgin’s nerves?” he asked, a smug smile on his lips.

“Shut up.” She replied crossing her arms but that was a mistake because that only drew his lusty gaze to her cleavage “Just go. Now. This was a mistake; I should never have called you.”

He brought his hand up to her chin.

“You know you can’t keep denying me forever.” Caliban told her “You cannot keep denying what is between us.”

“There is nothing between us.” She replied avoiding his gaze.

“And still you called me.”

“It was a mistake that I’m rectifying.” Sabrina insisted “Go away, Caliban, go before I take you out of here by force.”

“You wouldn’t do that to your future husband.”

She looked at him with a frown. She was being serious.

“Leave. Now!” her voice was cold as ice.

He stroked her bare arm as he walked toward the door unaffected by her words.

Sabrina hid her face in her hands. What was wrong with her?

She knew she had been about to do something stupid, very stupid. Getting carried away by anger wasn’t a good decision. It never was.

And now, her heart ached more than her pride.

For the first time in a long time she allowed herself to cry.

 _Nick_. She missed him so much. Even when she tried not to she couldn’t help but continue loving him.

* * *

Prudence was sitting on the edge of Agatha’s bed absently brushing her sister’s hair before braiding it in her usual braids.

Agatha’s mind was still a tangled mess she couldn’t quite reach. She suspected that she was even worse after all those weeks with Blackwood but there was no way they would know until the next morning, for now her sister needed to rest.

Her sister. Her _only_ sister.

The weird sisters had always been more powerful together, if Dorcas were there maybe the two of them would be able to bring Agatha back but Dorcas was no longer with them. She was gone forever… dead. And despite having one of her sisters back, Prudence could still feel an emptiness in her chest she knew nothing could ever fill.

She looked at her sister, she hadn’t said a word while Prudence bathed and dressed her, Agatha looked like a broken doll. Lifeless. And it hurt her to see her like that.

It hurt a lot.

If only she could do something. She was willing to do anything for her, to sacrifice everything if it meant having Agatha, the real Agatha, back.

Prudence’s hands stroked her sister’s hair one last time before helping her into bed, she arranged the covers around her before sitting again in the edge of the bed. She continued looking at her as she fell asleep.

She couldn’t help but think about what kind of demons populated her sister’s dreams.

“You should go to bed too, love.”

Her back stiffened when she heard the affectionate word. She had never been someone’s _love_.

It never ceased to amaze her how openly loving Hilda Spellman was to everyone. Although she knew she was also deadly when she wanted to be, after all, it was Hilda who killed sister Jackson after she didn’t stop bothering Zelda.

The Spellmans were fiercely loyal to those they loved. Of that she had no doubts.

“I think I’m going to stay here tonight, sister Spellman.”

“None of that, miss. You need to take a warm bath and rest.” The older woman insisted. Prudence had been there helping her since they returned from the mines “go to rest, I’ll take care of these little lambs for the rest of the night.”

She opened her mouth to protest but Hilda stopped her.

“Go to rest, Prudence.” Hilda insisted in a soft but firm tone that left her no choice but to obey her.

She had never had a mother but she thought that that was how they should sound. Without being truly aware of it, she nodded.

“You can relieve me tomorrow morning if you want.”

She nodded again, she would like that, she looked at her sister one last time before leaving the room.

She decided to take the bath Hilda had suggested. The water was warm and helped to relieve the tension that still remained in the muscles of her body.

But she couldn’t stop thinking.

Now that it was all over and her father was imprisoned in a cell deep within the dungeons of the Academy all she had to do was worry about finding a cure for Agatha’s state. She was sure there must be one somewhere and she didn’t care if she had to travel the world again in order to find it.

She was going to. She was going to cure her sister.

She was walking towards her bedroom without really paying attention to her surroundings, tired now that events of the night had finally caught her, so she didn’t notice him until it was too late to try to avoid him.

“Prudence.”

“Ambrose.” She replied in a neutral tone of voice when she looked up.

He didn’t really know what to say to her, he put his hands in the pockets of his pants. And waited for her to talk but she didn’t.

“How is Agatha?” he finally asked when the silent was to uncomfortable to continue bearing it.

“The same.”

Ambrose nodded.

“I don’t know if there is a way for her to go back to who she was.” Prudence admitted in a rare moment of vulnerability, she didn’t look at him, now her eyes were fixed in the floor. Ambrose wanted nothing more than to lift her chin and get a look of her dark eyes.

“We can try.” He offered and she finally looked at him “I could help you, to find a cure for your sister.”

“You would do that… _for me_?”

He wanted to tell her that he would be willing to do anything for her. The feeling was strange, so sudden and at the same time so true.

But he said nothing of this and simply nodded.

“I will help you.” He reaffirmed his first statement.

“Thanks, Ambrose. Truly.”

“It’s the least I can do.” He replied with a shrug. She knew what he was talking about. She didn’t want to think about that.

They fell in silence again. There were so many things they wanted to say to the other but neither of them dared to take the first step. Not yet.

Not until Agatha was back to her normal self, Prudence told herself.

“I better go.” She told him. “It’s late.”

Ambrose nodded.

“Good night, Prudence.”

“Good night, Ambrose.”

He watched her disappear down the hall with longing in his gaze and a lot of unsaid feelings burning in his chest.

* * *

Nick didn’t know what had prompted him to make that decision.

He was tired, mentally exhausted from the events of the night, but he knew that he would be unable to sleep. After all he saw he was sure he won’t be able to close his eyes.

He felt on edge after everything that had happened in the mines.

And most of all, he needed to see Sabrina and know that she was well.

So he stayed there, leaning against the closed door of her room, his broad shoulders slightly hunched from exhaustion. He closed his eyes for a moment and continued waiting for her.

“Nick?” he opened his eyes to find her in front of him, her brown eyes denoted concern “is something wrong?”

He denied with his head, his eyes fixed on her.

“I just wanted to check on you… After everything that happened.”

A sad smile came to Sabrina’s lips.

“I’m fine.” She answered but his eyes were no longer fixed on hers but in the delicate skin at the base of her neck still a bit reddened even after Hilda’s ministrations. That was the place where the monster’s tentacle had adhered to her skin, he couldn’t help and reached out his hand as if he wanted to touch her “Nick…?” she said in what sounded more like a sigh.

Her eyes were on his when he finally touched the delicate skin of her neck. Sabrina held her breath. She had missed his touch. So, _so_ much.

There was something unreadable in Nick’s eyes.

Something dark. Something warm.

“Nick…?” she half asked when his fingers moved up to her jaw, it was as if he was unable to stop touching her now that he had done it again.

“I can’t…” he took a deep breath “I can’t stop thinking about what would have happened if… if something happened to you.” Sincerity shining in his dark eyes.

She closed her eyes when this thumb gently brushed over her parted lips.

“Nick… please…” she said with her eyes closed, her breath was warm against his fingers. She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to move away from her or to end the scarce distance between them.

Sabrina opened her eyes, they reflected the longing she had been tried to keep at bay all those weeks.

There was something undeniable between them. A magnetic pulse that invited them to get closer, something that made them orbit around the other.

“Sabrina…” his voice was as silent as a whisper.

She didn’t know which one of them was the one who finally ended the distance between them, she only knew that one second they were looking at each other and the next his lips were on hers. She sighed against his lips. She had missed this.

She had missed him.

Her hands clung to his neck as if she never wanted to let him go, not again. He brought her closer to him and turned them until she was pinned between the closed door of her room and his warm body.

There was nothing tender about the way they kissed.

It was a hungry kiss. A desperate kiss.

And she wanted it to last forever.

One of Sabrina’s hand groped behind her back until she found the door handle. She opened the door and lead him inside. His lips never leaving hers.

The door closed with a click behind them, they were no longer in the illuminated corridor but in the semi-darkness of her room. She pulled away slightly to look at him, his lips parted, his hair a mess, he was so handsome.

She kissed him again.

“Sabrina?” he asked moments later but he wasn’t sure what he was asking for.

“Don’t. Please, don’t stop.” She almost begged him.

He seemed to understand what she meant. His lips slid down her jaw, down her throat, the tip of his tongue traced with delicately her reddened skin.

She let out a small moan that nothing had to do with the pain.

Nick wanted to lose himself in her. He _needed_ to.

Her hands seemed eager to lose themselves in his curls, to press themselves against the hard muscles of his back, to feel the warmth of his skin against her fingertips.

There was urgency, there was despair, there was desire.

He took her face in his hands, he could see the suffering barely contained in her brown eyes, he caressed her cheeks with a delicacy that contrasted with the urgency of his lips. Nick knew the right thing to do was to stop that madness before it was too late, before they went too far, but he couldn’t find the strength on him to do so.

He didn’t want to stop. She didn’t want him to stop.

Nick returned to claim her lips, his hands still on her cheeks, and then on her neck, under her blouse touching the soft skin of her abdomen and her breasts.

She urged him to remove his own shirt after he took off hers, her fingers marveling at all the skin willing to be touched. To be worshiped.

Sabrina gasped in surprise when he grabbed her around the waist and carried her to the bed, almost instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her heart pounding in her ears, her blood rushing on her veins.

“Nick…” she moaned softly “Oh, Nick…”

She was so lost in the feeling of his lips against her skin, in the way his hands ran over her body, but she was also extremely aware of the desperation behind each one of his kisses, each one of his caresses.

“You are so beautiful…” he whispered looking at her, in the darkness of the room only with the pale moonlight as their witness, she looked almost ethereal, her pale skin, her chest rising and falling product of her rapid breathing. Her lips swollen from his kisses, her eyes bright with desire.

So beautiful.

She reached out a hand to touch his cheek and he leaned against the warmth of the palm of her hand, he turned his head slightly to leave a kiss on her skin.

“I love you.” She whispered looking into his eyes. She need him to know that she still loved him, that she had never stopped doing so.

He kissed her again with a heat that rivaled the sun’s.

When his lips found the sensitive tip of her breasts she arched her back, wanting to continue feeling the sensation so unknown, so new his lips were eliciting in her. She dragged him towards her, her legs parting almost involuntarily to make room for him between them. Sabrina moaned again when she felt him against the most sensitive part of her body, she moved her hips out of instinct, seeking for friction.

And he gave it to her.

Open mouth kisses, skin against skin. Love and despair mixed.

His breath was shaky and his eyes were dark with desire, but there was something else about them that Sabrina couldn’t quite describe.

Agony.

He kissed her again. And again. And again.

There was no piece of skin that he didn’t kiss. He adored her with his hands and his lips.

She felt on the edge of something she had never felt before, something that she now knew, had secretly been saving for him her whole life. Something that she could only share with Nick.

Sabrina clung tightly to Nick’s shoulders when he finally entered in her. It was painful and beautiful and it took her breath away.

He rested his forehead on hers as he waited for her to adjust to him. She felt his warm breath against her parted lips.

She heard him whisper _I love you_ against her ear so softly that for a second she thought she had imagined it.

She kissed him because she didn’t know what else to do. Everything was so new. So… _intense_. Still, she could taste the pain on his mouth, feel the desperation in each one of his thrusts.

He was desperate, he was scared. He was _so_ lost.

Her hand ran through his dark curls, she wanted to comfort him, erase all the pain, all the trauma and all the suffering from him but she didn’t know how to do it.

So she let her body talk and tell him how much she loved him.

Still, Sabrina could feel how he was slipping through her fingers, something inside her told her that despite being joined in the most intimate way they could, she was going to lose him and she didn’t know what to do to stop it. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer, as if she wanted to merge with him. Be part of him.

As he was a part of her now.

She wished he could never leave. She wished they could stay like this forever.

The force of her own release caught her by surprise, her hands sought for his face, her lips sought for his lips. She kissed him drowning in his mouth the moans that she could no longer contain.

It was a glorious feeling. It was a dreadful feeling.

Her hand cupped his cheeks and she looked at him in the eyes when she told him again “I love you.”

It was as if those words ignited something inside of him, as if they unleashed something that was hidden within him. His movements became less careful, less delicate. More desperate.

His hand reached between their bodies, touching her, even lost in his own pleasure he wanted to make her feel good again.

He hid his face in the curve of her neck when he finally found release.

They stayed like that, still together, him still inside her, for what seemed like an eternity. She ran her fingers absently through his hair, his head on her chest. He sighed and left a kiss on her neck and other, and other.

Reluctantly he pulled away from her, she felt an emptiness she had never felt before, Sabrina thought that he would leave, that he would tell her that everything that had happened had been nothing more than a mistake.

But he didn't do any of that. Nick kissed her slowly before pulling her close to his body, his arms around her, her head cradled against his chest, she could heard the fast beating of his heart.

The tiredness of what they had just done, of what they had lived that night, caught up with her. Her eyelids felt heavier and heavier. She didn’t want to fall asleep, she wanted to continue feeling how his fingers traced figures on her back, but sleep finally overcame her.

Nick stayed awake watching her sleep, her small body pressed against his, he could feel her heart beating against his, she snuggled closer to him in her sleep.

He loved her. He loved her so much.

And because he loved her, he had to go.

Nick needed to heal before he could be, if she ever wanted him back, with her again.

Careful not to wake her, he got out of bed and took a blanket and covered her with it. He left a soft kiss in her forehead before he put on his clothes and left the room without making a sound.

When Sabrina woke up the next morning she immediately noticed the absence of his warmth arm around her waist, of his chest under her head.

Nick was nowhere to be found.

“Nick…?” she called even if she knew he was no longer there.

She felt her heart contracting in a painful way. Even before looking at her hand she knew.

Sabrina could feel the palm of her hand burning, when she looked at it, she saw his handwriting.

 _I’m sorry_ , was what he wrote.

A tear fell from her eyes and then another and another.

He was gone.

And he had taken her heart with him, she could feel an emptiness in her chest. Something told her that he was gone forever.

He had left her behind, but instead of anger all she could feel was sadness. Deep down, she knew why he had done it. And she had to respect his decision.

Even when it hurt like nothing she had felt before.

The prospect of living her life without him made more tears fall from her eyes.


	9. Without you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, thanks again for all your comments and kudos in the last chapter, the truth, I was super terrified about what you could think about the turn that the story will take.  
> From the beginning Nick was going to leave Greendale, originally the fic started when he returned (when the fic had another name even) but researching and looking for the "backup story" I realized that there were so many things to tell before that... well, I ended up with a whole multi chapter fic.  
> This chapter is a bit shorter, but I promise the next ones are longer.

Sabrina slowly slid her finger over the words that were beginning to fade from her skin.

_I’m sorry._

That was all that she had left from Nicholas Scratch, an _I’m sorry._

And a broken heart.

Again.

She had thought that when he had broken up with her, a couple of months ago, it had been painful, hence the reason she had done that stupid spell with the candle, to try to forget her feelings for him, to stop the pain, but it didn’t work. And this? This was a thousand times worse.

Sabrina settled back against the pillows, but even being in that bed was painful now. So many memories… She would never be able to forget the way his lips had slid down her body, the way his hands had touched her. It was too much, the sensations, the memories, overwhelming. She sighed trying to hold back the tears that wanted to fall from her eyes again. Her gaze again fixed on the half-blurred words in the palm of her hand.

_I’m sorry._

But about what? About what they had done? About leaving? She was beginning to think that those words would haunt her all her life, even when they had faded from her skin. And she had a long life ahead of her.

A life without him.

She needed to get out of there. So she got out of the bed and walked over to the suitcase that she had never completely finished unpacking. She hoped they could leave the Academy that day.

She didn’t want to stay there not a second longer.

After all, even if they couldn’t kill him, Blackwood was at least trapped in one of the cells in the dungeons, the spells that held him captive too powerful even for him to break them.

They could go now. Return to the Mortuary. To their normal lives.

If she could call her life _normal_.

Sabrina left the room only to stand in front of Nick’s closed door. And it was stupid, she knew it was, he was gone but still, carefully she opened the door. As if she waited to see him there sitting in his desk, his head buried in a book.

But it was a meow what greeted her.

“Salem?” she asked when she saw the black cat lying on the bed as if he owned the place “what are you doing here?”

He meowed once more before getting up, he walked towards one of the pillows and meowed again, Sabrina knew that he wanted her to come closer but she was still frozen in her spot, she had not been in that room since that afternoon when Nick told her that he could not continue doing it, that he could not be with her. Not anymore.

And the memory hurt. A lot.

With a deep breath she decided to enter when Salem insisted.

The room looked like he was going to come back and enter through that door at any minute, there were open books on his desk and some clothes thrown on an armchair. That scent, of black coffee and wood that she always associated with him filled the entire room.

Sabrina could feel the tears pooling in her eyes again.

Salem meowed again, urging her to come to his side.

“Salem…?”

The cat let out a low purr this time. On the pillow where he was, was a necklace with a small silver pendant. And it hadn't been accidentally left there. _He_ wanted her to find him, Salem said so. She took it and looked at the pendant against the light, she couldn’t recognize the sigil that was engraved on it.

“What it this?” she asked more to herself but Salem seemed to think she was asking him because he answered her “What? For me?”

He meowed again.

What was the meaning of it?

“But… why?” The cat was silent. He didn’t know the reason why the warlock had left that behind either.

She kept looking at the pendant, the cross and the sinuous curves of the sigil, she tried to remember, to remember if she had ever seen that symbol before, to remember if it meant something.

But she ended up empty-handed.

* * *

Sabrina looked at herself in the mirror as one of the maids put the golden crown on her perfectly styled moonlight hair.

It was heavy, but she wore it with her head up as the queen she was.

Today she was wearing her crown with a purpose.

To show to the witch council that Hell was under new management. To tell them about the new rules she planned to establish.

To tell them that she _was_ their queen now.

She nodded towards the mirror pleased with her appearance. The makeup and the jewels made her look more like an adult, more powerful.

Imposing.

Sabrina knew that the mission she had ahead was a difficult one, convincing the council wouldn’t be easy. Some of the members thought, as Blackwood did, that witches should be seen but not heard. That their place was under a warlock’s boot.

But they were wrong.

Women were powerful. Women were meant to be heard.

Women were meant to rule.

With a last glance towards the mirror, she disappeared in a spiral of hellfire.

And appeared in the middle of the old room where the witch council met to discuss witch laws.

Gasps of surprise and looks of confusion reigned among the elder warlocks. She was sure they were waiting to see their Dark Lord when they saw the hellfire.

They were so wrong. Their Dark Lord didn’t rule anymore.

She despised the bunch of old men, but if she wanted to be worshiped by the whole witch community she needed them.

“What is the meaning of this?” one of them exclaimed.

She dedicated him a short cold smile.

“I am Sabrina Morningstar.” She said in a regal voice, her back straight, the crown shinning on her head, the blue flames still around the hem of her dress “Queen of Hell.”

“Nonsense, that’s impossible!” one dark haired warlock said “The Dark Lord is the only one who rules over Hell.”

Sabrina flicked her wrist and the man’s mouth disappeared. The members of the council stared at her wide-eyed, surprise and fear in their faces.

“I am the queen of Hell.” She said again “And I came here to discuss some matters concerning the Churches of darkness with you, members of the council.”

“With all due respect,” one of the warlocks said, he didn’t want to lose his mouth too but he needed to ask “but, what happened to the Dark Lord?”

“You see, my father has decided to step aside and let a younger generation take over.” She lied, surprised by how easily the lie fell from her red lips.

“It’s impossible! She is lying!” other man shouted “The Dark Lord could never do such a thing!”

Sabrina was beginning to lose her patience. She knew it would be difficult to convince that bunch of old warlocks but even so.

She clenched her fists trying to tame her temper.

“Haven’t you noticed?” she asked instead of answering the affront “Haven’t you noticed how your powers have waned?”

That raised murmurs around, they had noticed it. A slow smile came to Sabrina’s lips.

“Have you noticed…” she repeated, walking around the room, hellfire trailing behind her “that your prayers are no longer heard as they were before?”

More murmurs. They had noticed that too.

“That’s because your dear Dark Lord is no longer in charge of Hell. I am.”

A white-haired warlock rose from his seat.

“How can we believe you? You have not given us any proof that what you say is true.”

She couldn't go on tolerating that anymore. They needed to learn who put the rules now.

“So, you want a proof…” she said tapping her lower lip with one of her fingers “Well, if you insist so much.”

With another flick of her wrist, the warlock who had spoken was consumed by blue flames. The rest of the men gasped, a mixture of surprise and fear, invaded the room. The man screamed as he burned until he was nothing more than a mountain of ash on the floor.

“Well, do you believe me now?”

Horror was written in the eyes of the mighty warlocks. They were no match for her and her infernal powers.

And they knew it.

One of them bowed to her and soon, not without some reticence, the others did the same.

“Forgive us, queen.”

Sabrina smirked.

“Now that we are understanding each other,” she made one of the chairs set against one of the walls come up to her and she took a seat on it “you and I have some things to discuss.”

The men nodded. Here they were, the more powerful and wise warlocks on earth about to accept the terms and conditions of a nearly 17-year-old witch who happened to be also the devil’s daughter. And the Queen of Hell.

“There are some things I would like to change.” Sabrina told them “For example, the Feast of Feasts, what a horrible tradition, don’t you think?” none of the warlocks said a thing, scared to offend her in any way and end up like their brother, turned into nothing but ashes “Well, it’s canceled.”

“But… my queen, it’s one of our oldest traditions…”

“It’s barbaric,” she interrupted him “and I’m not going to allow to you to continue slaughtering innocent witches in sake of such an awful _tradition_. Do you understand?”

The men nodded, they didn’t have a choice actually.

“Now… regarding your prayers…” she said leaning forward, her eyes shining with coldness “from now on, if you want to continue maintaining your powers, you’d better address them to me. Do we agree?”

* * *

The book was heavier than it appeared to be and almost as old as time, between its pages there were thousands and thousands of names. Signatures made with blood.

Men. Women. Teenagers. Old people.

Souls exchanged for favors. Souls traded for greed.

Souls exchanged for love.

Souls exchanged for power.

And they all ended up in the same place.

Hell.

An eternity of torture and endless pain in one of its nine circles was what awaited those whose names appeared in the book.

Sabrina knew that not all the people who had decided to sell their soul to the devil deserved that fate. She sighed before turning the page, she had a few souls to collect that day.

That was the part of her duties as queen that she didn’t enjoy particularly because, from time to time, the soul she had to collect was not evil at all. Parents who gave their souls for the lives of their children. They didn’t deserve Hell.

But what had hurt her in the beginning was becoming easier day by day… And that terrified her.

She was losing herself.

And even if she wanted to make changes because she knew there were things that could be improved, she also knew that she needed the support of the majority of the aristocracy to do so. Sabrina sighed, perhaps with her wedding she would get the support she needed but, until now, had been denied.

Wedding.

Just thinking about it made her feel an unpleasant sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Sabrina didn’t want to have to get married. She was barely turning 17, although of course, age was not something that mattered in Hell.

Time didn’t matter in Hell. One day could seem like a year. And a year could sometimes seem like just a second.

She needed to secure her crown and sometimes, it was necessary to make certain sacrifices in pursuit of what one wanted. After all, she had chosen the crown and now it was too late to repent.

The teenage queen got up from her seat and that was the moment she heard them. She gripped the edge of the table tightly trying not to lose her balance.

The voices echoed in her head, rising in intensity until they were the only thing she could hear.

They were praying… to _her_.

Sabrina, the morning star, the queen of Hell.

She could feel the power running through her veins, she could feel it increasing with each new prayer. She took a deep breath, overwhelmed with the sensations.

So that’s how it felt to be worshiped.

“You never forget the first time.”

Lilith’s voice brought her back to the reality. She opened her eyes.

“What…?”

“I was queen too, for a while.” Lilith replied with pursed lips, she walked towards her, her body now showing the signs of an advanced pregnancy “It feels good, doesn’t it? To be worshiped.”

Sabrina nodded slowly.

“And the power… it’s intoxicating, isn’t it?”

It was. But she wasn’t going to tell her that.

“What do you want, Lilith?” she asked, not feeling in the mood for a long conversation with the woman.

“I was just passing by…” replied the mother of demons, heading towards one of the shelves, she ran her hand over the spines of the old books “You and I haven’t talked in the last time.”

Sabrina raised an eyebrow not quite believing her.

“And you and I have something to talk about?”

Lilith stroked her belly, her eyes fixed on Sabrina.

“Are you excited for your wedding, your Highness?”

This time the girl rolled her eyes before looking at Lilith with a frown.

“You know very well why I’m getting married.”

The woman nodded, she continued caressing her belly absently.

“And do you think this… _alliance_ with Prince Caliban will secure your crown? He had tried to overthrow you once, why wouldn't he do the same again?

“What do you really want, Lilith?”

“I’m not the enemy, Sabrina.” She replied “What’s more, I think you and I are quite the same.”

Sabrina’s brow only furrowed more.

“Are you sure that getting married is the only option you have?” the girl was surprised to detect some sincere concern in the woman’s voice.

Sabrina shrugged.

“It’s what I have to do. To keep the crown.”

“You are different.” Lilith replied, she walked around the young queen “the Sabrina Spellman I know would never…”

“I’m not Sabrina Spellman.” She exclaimed perhaps too vehemently “At least not anymore.”

“No…” Lilith tapped her lower lip “You are a true Morningstar now. Doing whatever it takes to keep that crown on your pretty head.”

“I could say the same about you.” Sabrina said looking at the woman’s belly briefly before looking back at her face.

This time it was Lilith who shrugged.

“Like I said, you and I are not different. I’m not your enemy.”

“I don’t trust you. Not anymore.”

“Sabrina, Sabrina…” she said shaking her head “I just want to make sure you are making the right decision.”

“No, you are not.” replied the young queen “And I don’t care if I’m wrong, at least this time it will be my decision. I’m no longer a pawn in someone else’s game, you would do well to remember that, Lilith.”

* * *

That night the Spellmans gathered around the table for a family dinner for the first time in what seemed an eternity. Hilda had prepared everyone's favorites for the occasion, and everyone seemed happy to be back home, everyone, except Sabrina.

Hilda was constantly looking at her niece who was moving her food from one side of her plate to the other without actually eating. She could tell that there was something odd about Sabrina that night but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. After all, the night before everyone had had a really hard time, she still trembled remembering what she had seen when the terror had attacked them.

But something inside her told her that it was something else what was happening to her niece. Something that had nothing to do with the terrors they had faced the night before.

“Love, are you okay?” Hilda couldn’t help asking her. Sabrina took a few seconds before looking from her plate to her aunt.

“Yep, I’m fine auntie,” she replied “why wouldn’t I?”

“Well, I just thought… after everything that happened last night…”

Silence settled at the table, everyone stopped eating but none of them spoke. None of them wanted to talk about what they had seen in the mines, none of them wanted to talk about their deepest fears.

But Hilda kept looking at Sabrina, concern written in her face.

“I’m fine, auntie. Really.” Sabrina insisted but there was something in her voice that made her think otherwise.

Zelda cleared her throat “Ambrose, has there been any progress with Agatha?” she said trying to change the subject.

Her nephew shrugged, he had just put a piece of lasagna in his mouth so he chewed quickly to answer her.

“Nothing…” he replied “Her mind is still a mess and it’s not like there are many similar cases documented that could help us find a solution or give us an idea about what to do.”

“Poor girl.” Hilda muttered.

“But we won’t give up,” Ambrose said and there was conviction in his voice “I was thinking about asking Nicholas to help us with the research too but I didn’t see him at the Academy today.”

Only Hilda noticed how Sabrina’s back stiffened a bit at the mention of the warlock.

“Did you happen to see him today, cousin?” Ambrose asked to Sabrina.

“No, I didn't see him.” Sabrina felt her cheeks blush and her heart beat fast “Why in heaven should I know where he is?” she added brusquely surprising her family.

“Well, your room was opposite to his, I thought that maybe…”

“You thought wrong, Ambrose.” She insisted raising her voice even more this time.

“There is no need to raise your voice, young lady.” Zelda said “your cousin was just asking you a question.”

“Well,” her niece said in turn standing up, her meager appetite now completely extinguished “I don’t know where Nicholas is, actually, I don’t care where he is.”

That wasn’t the truth but her family didn’t need to know that. Without saying another word, Sabrina left the kitchen.

“What in heaven is wrong with her?” she heard her aunt Zelda ask.

She hurried up the stairs. She felt a lump in her throat.

Was it always going to be like this? Would it be like this, every time she heard his name?

The necklace in her pocket seemed to be burning her.

And she couldn’t help but wonder what it meant, why he had left it for her and why had Salem insisted so much that she accept it?

Once inside her room, Sabrina pulled it out of her pocket and walked over to her bed and lay down on it. She looked at the necklace in the dim light.

“Why, Nick?” she asked in a whisper to the empty room, a tear streaming down her face “why?”

But deep down, she knew the answer. Nick had left because Greendale was killing him, there was no escape from the suffering in there.

But it hurt. It hurt a lot.

Someone knocked on the door minutes later and Sabrina rushed to wipe away her tears with the back of her hand.

“I want to be alone.”

But whoever it was on the other side of the door ignored her request, Ambrose slowly opened the door.

“Cousin…”

“Leave me alone, Ambrose.” She said trying to keep her voice from sounding broken.

“What’s going on, Sabrina?” he asked softly entering in the room despise her words.

“Nothing.” She answered, she turned her face to not look at him but this only made him walk to the other side of the bed, Sabrina felt the mattress sink slightly under the weight of her cousin.

“It’s about Nicholas, isn’t?”

“Ambrose…”

“You can talk to me.”

Sabrina closed her eyes, a short sigh leaving her lips.

“I’m just tired… after everything that happened. Just that.”

Her cousin stared at her, Ambrose knew she was lying but he also knew that his cousin, stubborn as she was, would not tell him what was happening to her if she didn’t want to.

He gave her a brief squeeze on the shoulder before getting up from the bed. He was not going to insist, at least not that night.

“You should try to sleep then.”

Sabrina nodded.

“Good night, cousin.”

“Good night, Ambrose.”

He left the room and closed the door gently, she stared at the closed door for a few moments before getting up from the bed and walking to the mirror, she looked from her slightly reddened eyes to the necklace in her hand, her index finger traced the engraving on the pendant.

Carefully, Sabrina unhooked the clasp, the pendant felt cool against her skin when she put the necklace on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for this week, can't wait to read your opinions of this one.


	10. The necklace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you so much for all your comments and kudos, almost all of you were curious about the necklace, well, now we are going to know a little more about it... but there is more to be know in the future. This chapter focus more in Sabrina Spellman, but don't worry, we'll have plenty of Sabrina Morningstar in the next one.

The last days of summer were gone in the blink of an eye. The weather began to get a bit colder, the leaves on the trees began to lose their color and eventually fell to the ground.

Autumn had finally arrived to Greendale.

It had been weeks without a single word from Nick.

Sabrina had tried to contact him at least to know that he was okay wherever he was but there had been no response.

Just silence.

She rolled over in her bed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling of her room, she clenched her fists trying to resist the urge to write to him again because she already knew she would get no response from him.

It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

Her hand went to her chest and to the necklace that now rested on it. Why had he left it? He had left her behind and with so many unanswered questions. And she missed him so much.

Sabrina heard someone knock on the door.

“Go away, Ambrose.” She answered thinking that it was her cousin, but whoever it was ignored her words and opened the door. Sabrina was surprised to see that it was her friend and not her cousin who had come “Roz!” she exclaimed sitting up in her bed “what are you doing here?” they had just seen each other a couple of hours ago in school.

The girl entered into the room and closed the door behind her, she was looking at her like she wanted to guess her mood.

“I just wanted to check on you.” Sabrina looked at her confused, Roz went to sit by her without saying anything else.

“I’m fine, Roz.”

“’Brina…” her friend said, she reached up to take Sabrina’s hand and give her a gentle squeeze “I know something’s wrong with you, the boys might not notice,” she added in reference to Harvey and Theo “but I do. I’m your best friend, you know you can tell me anything, right?”

Sabrina took a deep shaky breath. Roz was right, she was her best friend, her confidant, if anyone could understand what she was feeling right now, it was her. She could no longer hide what she felt, putting on a smile when all she wanted was to cry.

Everything hurt as much as it had hurt that afternoon months ago.

Except this time, she didn't feel the slightest hope that they would get back together again. Nick was gone, maybe, forever.

“It’s Nick…”

Roz looked at her with concern and waited patiently for her to continue talking.

“He left Greendale.” Roz was surprised, she wasn’t excepting that “A couple of weeks ago.”

Her friend remained silent, watching Sabrina’s sad face while she considered her response.

“Maybe… Maybe that’s what he needed to do, ‘Brina.”

Sabrina knew that Roz was right, staying in Greendale was not good for Nick. Not after everything that had happened, if he wanted to forget, he couldn’t do it there.

But she couldn’t help thinking that maybe she was something he wanted to forget too.

“I know, but it hurts, Roz.” Sabrina said in a small voice “It hurts so much.”

Roz moved closer to put one of her arms around her and Sabrina allowed herself to be comforted by her hug. She could feel the tears that wanted to fall from her eyes again but she kept them at bay.

When they pulled away she sighed, there were so many things she had not told her friend yet, so many things that she had kept deep inside her and that now she wanted, no, she needed, to share with her.

“Do you remember when I told you that I couldn’t keep seeing you and the guys for the rest of the summer because I had to concentrate on my witch studies?” she asked confusing Roz even more by the sudden change of subject. However, she nodded “I lied to you that day.”

“What? Why?”

“Our former High Priest had threatened my family and…”

“I knew there was something odd about you that day, but ‘Brina, why didn’t you tell us? We could have found a way to help you.”

Sabrina shook her head “I knew you would say something like that, but I can’t…” she felt a lump in her throat, tears pooling in her eyes again “I can’t allow the people I love to continue sacrificing themselves for me.”

Roz knew she was no longer talking about them. She was talking about Nick.

“It was his decision, ‘Brina.” Roz told her.

“He did it for me, Roz. And that ended up destroying him, destroying us…” she took a deep breath to keep her voice steady “And he did it again.”

She explained to Roz all about Blackwood and the Eldritch terrors, how they were able to make you relive your worst nightmares, how they played with your mind and twisted reality. How they could drive you crazy.

She told her about hearing her voice and Theo and Harvey’s even Nick’s but she didn’t tell her about the empty house, her travel in time still a secret she was not willing to share with anyone. Neither her being two now.

“That night… after we locked up Blackwood and aunt Hilda had healed my wound, I went to my room at the Academy and Nick was there, waiting for me just to see how I was and…” another shaky sigh escaped from her lips “We kissed.”

“And now do you think that’s the reason why he left?”

Sabrina denied, she closed her eyes for a few seconds, the memories that she could never erase returning to her. She could almost feel his hands sliding down her skin again. His lips on her lips.

She shook her head trying to make the memory go away.

“We didn’t just… kiss.” She admitted “When we were… I told him I love him, he said it too although I think he didn’t think that I heard him saying it, Roz, for a moment I thought everything would be fine but then when I woke up… He was not there. I was alone.”

“’Brina…”

“He left this to me.” Sabrina interrupted her, she didn’t want to hear the compassion in her friend’s voice “Or at least that’s what Salem said.”

She took off her necklace and placed it in Roz’s hand.

“What does it mean?” her friend asked looking at the sigil engraved on it.

“I have no idea.”

“But it must mean something.”

Sabrina nodded.

“Roz, do you think you could…” she hesitated for a moment “do you think you could try to see something?”

“Sabrina…”

“Could you I least try? Please? I just want to know if he is alright.”

“I could try.” She replied closing her hand over the necklace. Her eyes turned white for an instant. Images rushing to her mind.

“Roz?”

Roz’s eyes returned to her normal color.

“What…? Did you see something?”

She returned the necklace to Sabrina, she didn’t know if she should tell her what she had just seen, it would surely only worry her more. So she decided to lie to her.

“I couldn’t see where he is, I’m sorry, I tried but…”

“It’s okay, Roz.” Sabrina answered, but she was still a bit suspicious, she put the necklace back on her neck. She took her friend’s hand and give it a squeeze “Thanks for trying.”

Roz gave her a brief smile. If she told her the truth that could only end up hurting Sabrina more and she didn’t want that. She could tell by her red puffy eyes that she had been crying before she arrived and she didn’t want to give her another reason to be sad.

“I’d just want to know where he is,” Sabrina said in a whisper “know if he’s okay.”

* * *

“Nothing.” Prudence said dropping the book on the table, frustration written all over her face “There is absolutely nothing here that can help us.”

“We just have to keep looking. We’ll find something.” Ambrose said to her. He looked away, unable to bear looking at her pained gaze.

He wanted nothing more than to hold her hand, to try to comfort her but he knew that she would not let him do it. Although she had let him help her to find a cure for her sister, she still kept him at an arm’s length. They had not talked about what was happening between them, about what they felt for each other. Ambrose knew that Prudence would not want to hear it, her only goal at that moment was to heal her sister.

“We still have to look in the Sanctum.” He offered.

“I don’t know but maybe…” Prudence got up quickly almost knocking the chair where she had been sitting and went to the library’s exit, Ambrose followed her without really knowing where she was heading.

“Prudence, wait!” he said “where are you going?”

She stopped to look back at him.

“My father,” she answered, looking straight to his eyes “he may know something.”

“Prudence…”

“It's been almost a month, Ambrose, and we still can't find anything to help her. There is no book, there is no one who knows what we can do, but he... he may know something.”

Ambrose nodded, maybe she was right. He followed her to the dungeons, before they reached the cell, they knew something was wrong. They could feel it in the air.

It smelled rotten. Just like in the mines.

The door of the cell was wide open.

Prudence went inside “Oh, no. Damn it!”

“What?” Ambrose didn’t finish what he was saying, he was seeing the same thing as her. The empty cell, just Blackwood’s clothes in a mess on the floor. Not a trace of the warlock.

“We should tell my aunt Zelda. Right now.”

The girl nodded, her eyes still fixed on the empty cell as if she could make Blackwood reappear just with the power of her gaze.

“But how…?”

“I have no idea,” Ambrose took her by the arm “come on, let’s talk to my aunt. She needs to know this.” He added before closing the door.

She nodded again before following him to the High Priestess office. Ambrose didn’t bother to knock and he just slammed the door open. The circumstances would make her aunt forgive his lack of manners.

“Doesn’t anyone here know how to knock on doors?” Zelda asked indignantly, raising her head from the document she was reading before their arrival.

“Auntie,” Ambrose said almost breathlessly “we have a problem. A serious problem.”

Zelda stood up immediately “Speak.” She demanded.

“It’s my father,” this time it was Prudence who spoke “he is not in his cell.”

“What do you mean with he is not in his cell?”

“He disappeared.”

Zelda mumbled a curse.

“Come along,” she told them walking towards her office door “I need to see it with my own eyes.”

Ambrose nodded before following her, they walked with hurried steps, ignoring the glances that the students were giving to them while they headed to the dungeons.

The cell was as empty as before. The smell still rotten, the magic still lingering in the air.

Zelda entered to the cell, her foot moved the clothes that were on the floor. Her shoe got dirty with a sticky substance. The blood ran cold in her veins.

“Is that…?”

“It’s the same substance of what it was made that creature.”

“But I though we destroyed it, we all saw it turn to dust.”

“This could mean nothing.” Zelda said although she wasn’t sure of her own words.

“Auntie…”

“Not a single word about this to anyone.”

“But auntie…”

“We can’t let anyone know what’s going on, it would just make everyone panic. We will find a solution to this, discreetly.”

She had to be strong for her coven, for her family. She had to find a solution.

Ambrose and Prudence nodded but neither of them were sure that such a thing could be kept a secret for so long.

* * *

Sabrina knew that something was happening when she entered into the Mortuary that afternoon, she went to the parlor as she usually did to greet her aunts who were probably already there drinking their afternoon tea, but she could notice in the air something was different.

“Aunties, I’m home.” She said from the doorway.

“Hello, love.” Hilda said from her place on one of the armchairs.

“Sabrina, could you please come in, we need to talk.”

The girl nodded confused, thinking about what she could possibly have done now, her aunt Zelda was using the same tone of voice she used whenever she got into trouble. Sabrina went to sit on the couch and left her bag next to her, Salem, who had been lying on front of the fireplace went to her and jumped onto her lap, he pushed his head against her hand wanting to be petted.

“Do you want some tea, love?” Hilda asked her.

“No, I’m fine, auntie.” Sabrina replied, she focused her gaze on Zelda then “What do you want to talk about, auntie Zee? Something happened?”

“Something indeed happened.” Zelda said “We have a problem, a serious problem.”

Sabrina waited for her aunt to say something more but she stayed silent for some seconds.

“Auntie?” she asked. Zelda took a deep breath.

“We don’t know how but Blackwood escaped from his cell.”

“What? How is that even possible? I thought we had secured the cell so it was impossible for him to escape.”

“I don’t know, Sabrina. All I know it’s that he is gone, and heaven knows where he is.”

“And what are we going to do? Go back to the Academy?” she asked, a feeling of emptiness in her stomach, she could hardly bear to go back to her classes there, she could not bear to be living there again.

Zelda shook her head in a negative way.

“We are going to stay here; we will act in the most natural way possible. The rest cannot know what happened.”

“Why? They should know… If something…”

“He didn’t try to do anything to anyone of the Academy, outside Prudence and Nicholas.” Zelda noticed how Sabrina winced at the mention of him “I don’t think he’ll try to do something now. But we are going to be prepared, discreetly, we will reinforce the protective barriers of the Academy’s grounds and we will put special emphasis on teaching defensive spells. In the meanwhile, we need to find a way to kill him.”

Sabrina didn’t quite agree with her aunt’s decision, but she knew better than to try to contradict her in that moment.

“Just be careful, will you?” Zelda asked her.

“I will be careful.” She said because she knew that was the answer her aunt was waiting from her.

“It’s the only thing I ask of you, Sabrina.”

She nodded.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an algebra homework that I’d like to finish before dinner.” Sabrina said standing up, Salem protested with an indignant meow because the petting session was over.

She took her bag and left the parlor, as she climbed the stairs and walked down the second floor corridor she couldn’t stop thinking about her aunt’s words. Blackwood was on the loose and once again everyone was in danger.

Her family, maybe even her friends. The terrors had crept into her mind, they had found out that one of her greatest fears was losing them, perhaps they would go after them now, she should warn them. She wasn’t looking forward to that conversation.

She tossed her bag on the chair and went to lie down on the bed.

Would the problems never end? She would never be able to have a quiet life? That was all she had been looking for when she had decided to make that deal with her other self, to live the life of a normal teenager in Greendale, but this seemed more and more distant… Her life, after all, was anything but normal or quiet.

* * *

Sabrina was just as confused as the rest of the Academy students when her aunt Zelda summoned them to an extraordinary meeting in the hall first thing in the morning.

Maybe she had changed her mind and she was going to tell the others about Blackwood. She still didn’t understand the change in her aunt’s attitude towards the problem the former High Priest meant for them.

“Do you know what the High Priestess wants to tell us, Sabrina?” Melvin asked her.

Sabrina shrugged. Melvin seemed about to ask her something else the moment Zelda entered into the hall, she stopped in front of the statue of Hecate and looked at the people gathered there, all that was left of the former Church of Night were about a dozen of teenage witches and warlocks.

“I have an announcement to make,” she said with a firm voice, everyone looked at her expectantly, not knowing whether to expect good or bad news from their High Priestess “Starting today, we will have a new addition to our academic body, Mambo Marie, whom you already know from the fateful events with the pagans, she was an invaluable help and she is going to be helping us now with our studies about new forms of magic.”

Sabrina was surprised because her aunt hadn’t mentioned any of this, Hilda, who was at the other end of the room, seemed just as surprised as her. They watched as Mambo Marie entered to the hall and stood next to Zelda.

“You are dismissed now.” The High Priestess told them.

The students slowly cleared the hall, the murmurs of their conversations still audible in the distance, Sabrina stayed behind but her aunt Zelda waved her hand at her indicating that she should join to the rest of the students, she reluctantly obeyed.

She directed her steps towards the library instead of the classroom, still intrigued about what her aunt Zelda meant by _new forms of magic_ , she shook her head, she would ask her later in the Mortuary, now she had a mission.

A mission that was not working very well.

She had searched almost every book in the Academy’s library, she had even gotten a few from the sanctum but in none of them had she found the answer she was looking for. She still couldn’t find the meaning of the sigil on the necklace Nick had left her.

 _Nick_. Someday would it stop hurting so much to think of him?

Sabrina was concentrated on looking at the book she had just pulled from one of the shelves when the sound of another book being abruptly dropped on the table brought her out of her reverie.

“Prudence.” She said with annoyance as she looked up and noticed who had interrupted her.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked sitting in the chair next to her without waiting for her answer.

“Why did you even ask if you were going to do it anyway?”

Prudence shrugged.

“You are a bit irritable, aren’t you, Sabrina?”

Sabrina crossed her arms over her chest.

“What do you want, Prudence? Why are you here?”

“Nothing, I just came here to investigate.”

“There are enough tables for you to do that elsewhere, don’t you think?”

“So irritable.” Prudence muttered opening her book, she started flipping through it, her eyes scanning the pages for something, whatever it was that would help her find a cure for her sister.

Sabrina watched her for a moment and when she decided that Prudence would not bother her again, she focused again on her reading. She continued turning page after page with no results. A sigh escaping from her lips.

“You are like this because of Nicky.” Prudence said suddenly.

“Why you say so? Are you reading my mind or what?”

“You shouldn’t leave the door open, if you know what I mean.” She replied with a smirk.

“Stop doing it.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?” Prudence asked suddenly and Sabrina looked at her confused, there were so many things that hurt her lately that she didn’t know which one of them she could be referring to.

“What?”

“That he left you.”

“He didn’t leave me, we weren’t together.”

“Oh, I think you _were_.”

Sabrina felt her cheeks redden.

“Stop reading my mind!” she insisted, suddenly getting up from the table, she took her bag and slung it over her shoulder, she was so fed up with Prudence.

“Let him go, will you. We both know he’s better off without you.” Prudence told her.

Sabrina turned to see her, she tried to suppress the sob that threatened to come out of her throat and the tears that wanted to fall from her eyes when she said “I know.”

She did not care about having classes later, she couldn’t continue in the Academy for a second more, at least not that day, she walked through the woods at an accelerated pace, all she wanted was to get to the Mortuary. On her way, the tears that she had tried so hard to contain finally fell from her eyes, but she wiped them away with the back of her hand, she didn’t want to cry anymore but she couldn’t stop.

She didn’t like the tears. They only made her feel weak.

And she hated that feeling.

Once inside the house she left her coat and bag hanging on the stairs before heading to the kitchen. She needed tea, something to help her calm down a bit.

Sabrina didn’t expect to find her cousin Ambrose there, eating the leftovers of the peach tart their aunt Hilda had baked for dinner the night before, he was usually at the Academy with Prudence, thinking about her brought back some of her anger.

He stopped with the fork halfway to his mouth when he saw his cousin’s face.

“Did something happen to you, Sabrina?”

She sighed but shook her head. Ambrose slightly narrowed his eyes not believing her for an instant that nothing was happening to her, he could see in her reddened eyes that she had been crying. Again.

“Why don’t you let me make you some tea?” he said then and Sabrina nodded. She really could use a cup of tea.

As Ambrose moved around the kitchen she was wondering whether or not to tell him what was happening to her.

“Here.” He said leaving a cup of tea in front of her, he took a seat at the table next to her with his body turned to face her, Ambrose took Sabrina’s hands in his “Something’s wrong, cousin.” This time he didn’t ask because he knew her, Sabrina nodded because there was no point in continuing avoiding what was happening “It’s because of Nicholas, isn’t it?”

Sabrina took a deep breath before nodding.

“Pathetic, isn’t it?”

He gave her hands a gentle squeeze.

“It’s not pathetic,” Ambrose said “you don’t have to be ashamed of how you feel, Sabrina.”

“I know, it’s just… it hurts so much, Ambrose.” She admitted “I miss him so much.”

“Maybe he leaving was for the better.”

She wanted to ask him how it was for the better if her heart ached so badly.

“Do you think he is… going to come back someday?”

“I don’t know, ‘cous. I think Nicholas needs to find himself, figure out what he really wants, what he really needs.”

“Greendale wasn’t doing him any good.”

Ambrose simply nodded, his hands still holding hers.

“Drink your tea.” He suggested her letting go of her hands after one last warm squeeze.

Sabrina did as he told her and took a sip of her tea, she could feel the taste of the honey that he had put in the tea and it comforted her.

“Thanks, Ambrose.”

He just shrugged again giving her a smile.

It was good to be like that again, the relationship between them had been a bit uncomfortable since she had returned from hell, that was a topic that they preferred to avoid but that was still floating there in the air, threatening to fall over their heads at any minute.

“Can I ask you something?” she said suddenly.

Ambrose nodded, Sabrina put her hands around her neck, looking for the clasp of the necklace. She handed it to her cousin.

“You know what it means?” she asked as he examined it “I’ve been searching but I can’t find anything…”

“Well, it’s not a very well-known sigil… It’s a pretty ancient one actually”

“But you know what it means?” Sabrina interrupted him.

“Of course.” Her cousin replied “but… can I ask you where did you get it?”

“I asked first, Ambrose.” She said with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

He shook his head but there was a small smile on his lips because he could feel some of his cousin’s impetus coming back to her.

“This, my dear cousin, is the sigil of the true love, as I was telling you, it is not a very common one in the witch community. It was used in the ancient times but you know, when we worshiped the Dark Lord he kind of… _forbidden_ it, after all he only wanted that we love him and only him.” He stopped his explanation “where did you get it from, Sabrina?”

“Nick.” She answered “He left it… for me.”

Ambrose looked at her confused, why would he give her something like that and then simply disappear from the face of earth?

“He loves you.” He said returning her the necklace.

“And I love him, but… I think we’re just not meant to be.” Sabrina replied as she put the necklace back on.


	11. The infernal wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for your response to the last chapter!! I'm so happy you are enjoying this story.  
> Sorry for the delay in updating, but yesterday I was decorating the house for Christmas, and between that and writing the fics for the holidays (yes I can't help it) well, time flew.

The room was filled with smoke, the smell of cheap perfume and sweat from the bodies moving to the beat of the music. It was not as if he cared, his mind too dull with all the alcohol he had already drunk that night.

Nick felt the skin on his hand itch and looked with somewhat unfocused eyes at the letters that appeared there, he knew that handwriting so well.

_Are you ok?_

He took another drink from the absinthe bottle, trying to ignore how those words in black ink burned in his skin.

It was not the first time she sent him a message.

She had tried to communicate with him since day one.

Sabrina, the girl he loved but left behind.

Sabrina, the rebellious witch who never knew when to leave a lost cause. She had tried to save him, repeatedly, but by now she should know he was beyond any salvation.

Only alcohol managed to cloud the memories.

Only pain seemed to bring him some peace. Some control.

So he had gone back to his old self-destructive coping mechanics in search of some rest.

But it wasn’t working. Not in the long term and he knew it.

He thought that getting away from Greendale was the solution, but he had simply changed the scene of his own self-destruction play.

The old patterns kept repeating themselves.

Alcohol. Drugs. The sound of whip against his skin.

And not exactly in that order.

Nick took another sip from the bottle as he watched how the words Sabrina had written began to fade from his skin.

He missed her, but the two of them only knew how to hurt each other. _Oh, they knew how to do that so well._

And he was broken beyond any salvation. The Dark Lord had tortured him, Lilith had used him as a play thing, Hell had played tricks on his mind. There was no escape. The terrors had remembered him that.

There was no escape from the pain, from the humiliation.

He was rotten.

So he continued to destroy himself only in a different setting.

Nick felt a hand slide down his back and he turned slightly, still lying on the couch, to look at who it was. He couldn’t remember his name but he remembered the sinuous curve of his smile and the things he could do with his mouth.

It wasn’t like the names mattered anymore.

They were just warm bodies that he would try to lose himself in at night. Only to wake up the next morning with a sore body and a bad taste in his mouth.

They weren’t who he was craving for.

Suddenly, the stale air of that seedy place seemed suffocating. Nick got up from the couch, the bottle that he had been drinking fell to the floor with a crash that drew the attention of those who were near to him, he didn’t pay attention to them. Nothing mattered anymore.

The strong smell of the alcohol made him feel sick for the first time in weeks.

At that moment, the only thing he knew was that he just needed to breath and in that place of debauchery he would never make it. Someone tried to stop his exit but he dodged it, he needed to get out of there and fast.

The cold night air hit him square in the face.

Nick looked up at the dark sky, the stars shining, the bright moon that reminded him of her. Of their last night together.

Oh, he missed her so miss. Her sweet smile, her warm skin, her moonlight hair.

“What am I doing?” he couldn’t help wondering aloud. He looked at his hand again, there was hardly any trace of Sabrina’s words anymore. But he could still feel them. Burning in his skin even when they weren’t there anymore.

_Are you ok?_

He needed to stop thinking about her.

He needed to start thinking about him. About what he needed.

And certainly alcohol and drugs weren’t the answer to his problems.

Nick needed something else, but what?

_What?_

He put his hands in the pockets of his pants and began to walk towards the hotel where he had been staying for the last few weeks, the cold night air took away part of his drunkenness making his thoughts clearer.

He was so lost.

* * *

“Why didn’t I think about it before?” Ambrose exclaimed suddenly lifting his head from the book he had been reading for the last hour.

Prudence also looked up from her book and dedicated him a confused glance. They had been reading in silence for so many hours that his sudden exclamation had startled her a bit.

“Ambrose?” she inquired “what are you talking about?”

He didn’t answer her but he stood up and began to look around the shelves of books, Prudence stood up too and looked at him without knowing very well what he was doing. When Ambrose returned to their table, he had an ancient book in his hands that she didn't remember seeing before.

“Ambrose?” she insisted “what’s going on?”

“I think I found something that could help Agatha.” Prudence sat back down, her full attention on him.

“Tell me. What is it?”

“This is theoretical, ok?” he said and she nodded, she would take whatever idea he had. She would try anything if it could help her sister “We know that Agatha’ state is consequence of her seeing the god Pan in the woods, right?” Prudence nodded again, they already knew that “Well, that madness is caused by such an intense fear that I thought… maybe, if we can replace those fears that now pollute her thoughts with more positives ones, with good memories, strong enough to replace the fear… Maybe, maybe we can heal her.”

“Do you think that could work?” Prudence asked skeptical of his words. It sounded so _easy_. So _simple_.

“It’s a theory, but we don’t lose anything by trying, right?” Ambrose insisted, looking into her eyes, he could see the doubt in her dark eyes “The least we can do is try.” He added softly.

Ambrose was right. And she knew it, after all, they had nothing to lose, her sister couldn’t get worse than she already was.

“And how would we… _infuse_ those more positive thoughts into her mind?”

“That’s where you come in.” Ambrose told her “You can establish a mental connection with her.”

“But we already tried that once and it didn’t work.” she reminded him.

“Yes, I know.” He admitted, Ambrose opened the book he had in his hands and began to turn the pages in silence, he stopped at a specific one “but we will help you this time.”

Prudence leaned down to read the page he was pointing to. It explained an old ritual to channel the moon energy.

“You are going to try to order Agatha’s thoughts, bring her stronger memories that counteract the fear, while the rest of the coven and I will help you channel the energy of the moon to enhance your magic.”

“Do you think it could work?” she asked looking up from the page, she hadn’t realized how close her face was to his, Prudence tried to put more distance between them discreetly but Ambrose noticed anyway. He cleared his throat.

“Theoretically? It should work.” He answered.

“Ambrose…”

“We should at least try.” Ambrose insisted.

“When?” Prudence asked after pondering the idea for a moment.

“With the next full moon, which will happen in a week, I think that would be the perfect time to try.”

She nodded.

“One week.” she repeated. One week wasn’t so far away.

“You are going to do it?” he asked in a soft voice, putting one of his hands over hers but quickly withdrawing it when he realized what he had done.

“For Agatha?” she asked in turn with a sad smile on her dark colored lips “She is my sister; I would do anything for her.”

“We will heal her, Prudence. I promise you.”

There was so much sincerity in Ambrose’s dark eyes that she couldn’t help but completely believe him.

* * *

The coven was gathered around a large circle drawn on the ground, candles lit between them. There was a strange feeling in the air, the night silent in that clearing in the middle of the Greendale’s woods where so many things had happened before, as if nature held the breath expecting what the group of warlocks and witches were going to do, what kind of magic they were going to perform in the dark.

Agatha was asleep in the middle, Ambrose had thought it would be easier to try to order her mind that way, Prudence hoped he was right, all she wanted was to have her sister back. She knew she also had other siblings she had neglected but she was unable to feel the same kind of connection that she felt for Agatha, that she still felt with Dorcas, with Judith and Judas.

But she did feel bad for them, they were children who had been forced to grow up just to fulfill an evil man’s desire for greatness. An evil man who was now on the run again, probably planning revenge. The girl shook her head, that was no time to think about Blackwood or the twins, it was time to focus on Agatha, if everything went well that night, she would have her sister back before the sunrise.

“Are you ready?” Ambrose asked her as he approached to her side, he extended his hands as if he wanted to touched her but he didn’t in the end.

Prudence nodded.

“As ready as I could be.”

He gave her a brief smile of encouragement.

“I’m going to see if everyone else is ready.” He added before leaving her alone in the middle of the circle with her sleeping sister in her arms.

“Are you sure about this?” Sabrina asked him some minutes later when he approached to her spot in the circle.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” his cousin opened her mouth to reply but he continue speaking stopping her “It’s theoretical, but it’s our only chance.”

Sabrina nodded.

“I hope it works.” She replied, Sabrina and Prudence had never had the best of the relationships, she didn’t even know if they were truly friends, but she understood how she felt. She had lost someone she loved too.

She, too, would do anything to get someone she loved back.

“You are ok?” Ambrose asked in turn when he saw that his cousin's look became suddenly sad, Sabrina looked at him confused.

“Ah?”

“I ask you how are you, since I told you about that neckla…”

“No…” she interrupted him “This is not the moment, Ambrose. We are here to help Agatha.”

He nodded, his cousin was right, but still he couldn’t help but feel like she was trying to avoid the subject. She had been trying to avoid talking about Nicholas for weeks but since he had told her about what the necklace really meant it was as if she had closed up completely.

“Ok, everyone.” Ambrose said, speaking in a louder voice and approaching to his own place in the circle “we are going to invoke and channel the energy of the moon in us, then, we are going to deliver said energy to Prudence here. That way, we are going to help her to bring Agatha back.”

Everyone around the circle nodded.

He began to chant in a low, deep voice, words that sounded as old as time and yet so familiar as if they had known them since birth. Prudence just listened to him for a moment, she had another task to focus on that night, she took a deep breath before placing her hands on Agatha’s temples and focused on entering into her twisted mind.

Everything in there was still a disaster, a whirlwind of situations, of emotions that threatened to swallow her up and drive her crazy too. Prudence tried to concentrate, she searched in her own memory for memories that she shared with Agatha, but it was difficult for her to find pleasant memories, they had not grown up in a home surrounded by love as Ambrose and Sabrina Spellman had done, the Academy was a brutal place for a child, but while she remembered, she realized that she did had had love even there, not from a father or a mother but from her sisters.

She felt the energy of the moon begin to run through her veins, enhancing her powers, giving her the energy that she had lacked from the last time she had entered into her sister’s mind. This time she didn’t try to collect and fix her thoughts, she tried to calm her troubled mind, fill it with pleasant memories. Memories of childish antics, of walks through the woods looking for ingredients to make potions that certainly weren’t in the class book, the memory of how good it felt when someone brushed your hair, the heat you felt in your chest when you knew you are loved by someone. Even when you didn’t really know what love truly was.

Little by little, Prudence wove a web of good memories, the images that came to her from Agatha’s mind began to have more coherence, they were no longer just images that jumped from one moment to another without much sense, her thoughts had started to reorganize.

The chant ended and the feeling of additional power that she felt also left her, everyone waited in silence while Ambrose whispered the words that would reverse the dream spell, everyone was waiting to see if the ritual had worked.

Agatha opened her eyes slowly, her gaze disorientated, Prudence helped her up until she was sitting on the ground.

“Agatha? Are you ok?”

The girl was silent, looking around, blinking to adapt her eyes to the darkness of the night.

She felt somewhat disoriented, a bit confused, as if she had been waking up from a very long sleep.

“Why are we in the middle of the woods?” she asked her.

Prudence smiled, happy tears pooling in her eyes upon hearing her sister’s voice.

“Oh, Agatha!” she exclaimed before hugging her, her sister hugged her back still confused by the strange display of effusiveness from Prudence “I missed you so much.”

“Where I was?” Agatha asked while they continued embraced for a few more minutes, when they separated Prudence tried to sneakily wipe the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

“You had gone insane, it was fault of those damned pagans, they had the god Pan in their ranks, he looked at you on the afternoon of the Hare Moon.”

“But… that was months ago…” Agatha said, she could tell that the weather was already different, colder. Prudence nodded before getting up and helping her to do the same.

The rest of the coven members, slowly approached them, all happy because what they had tried to do that night had worked.

Agatha looked at all the faces, looking for one in particular.

“Where is Dorcas?” she asked suddenly, realizing that everyone had appeared to greet her except her.

Prudence looked at Ambrose with wide eyes, Agatha didn’t remember what had happened while her mind what clouded, she didn’t remember what she had done. How would she be able to tell her?

Ambrose shook his head slightly in a negative way. No good would come from telling the whole truth to her.

“She is gone, Agatha.” Prudence said with sad voice, her sister was still a sore theme to her “She died.”

“What?” Agatha’s eyes were wide opened, shocked “How?”

“It was a terrible accident. A couple of months ago.”

Prudence took Agatha’s hand in hers and lead her towards the Academy.

“I’ll tell you everything later, now you need to rest. You must be so tired.”

Agatha nodded. In fact, she was.

* * *

The dress was extremely elaborate, worthy of the queen that she was.

With red lace on the top and a skirt of the same color with a wide hem. One of the maids who was helping her to get ready adjusted the veil over her head of moonlight white curls. It was of the same red color as the dress. The crown came next.

It was her wedding day.

The day she had been dreading all this time had come.

Sabrina took a deep breath trying to compose herself, no one had to notice how conflicted she was, how little she wanted the ceremony time to arrive. This was for the crown, she remembered. She had sacrificed already so many things for that crown, for the power. Her family, her friends… Nick. All of them far away from her, living their lives without knowing she was there, ruling over Hell.

Nick.

She couldn’t stop thinking about him, what would he think if he saw her now? About to become the wife of a prince of Hell she despised just to retain the crown she had said she didn’t want in the first place.

But she wanted it. She liked power, she liked to feel how it ran through her veins when she heard the prayers that were raised to her.

She didn’t want that wedding but it wasn’t like she had a choice either. If she wanted to continue being queen she needed the support of the aristocracy and the price to pay for it was to commit to Caliban for all the eternity.

 _All eternity_. The thought made her shudder.

“You look beautiful, Your Highness.” The maid commented. Sabrina just nodded absently “No one will be able to take their eyes off you.”

“Let’s get this over with.” Was Sabrina’s only answer, she took the skirt of her dress to walk towards the door.

She walked through the halls of the palace with quick steps, as if her wedding was an unpleasant affair she wanted to end as soon as possible. In a way, it was. But, she remembered, once she married Caliban, her crown would be safe.

Or so she hoped.

She also needed to get rid of Lucifer. But… how?

Sabrina took a deep breath. _One problem at time_ , she thought, ready to face her future.

The great doors of the throne room were opened for her. Inside, all the aristocracy waited for her, dressed in their best clothes, showing their finest jewels. In front of the throne was her future husband and her father, who, being the being of the highest rank in all the realm, was going to officiate the ceremony.

She didn't miss the irony.

That ceremony would unite her to someone she didn’t love. Someone she could never love.

Her steps were slower and measured as she advanced the few steps that separated her from her inevitable destiny. She didn’t like the calculating smile she saw on Caliban’s lips, nor the way his eyes roamed her body as if she were just a piece of meat.

She should never have freed him from that stone, but she felt so confused and so alone that day…

Sabrina took a deep breath before reaching the throne.

She didn’t like the nasty smile she saw on Lucifer’s lips.

“Well, I would oppose to this wedding but since I’m officiating it, I don’t think I can do it, so…” Lucifer said with a shrug, making everyone laugh, but Sabrina knew that his words were not a joke. Not really.

“Father…” she said in a low, warning tone that no one else heard.

“Let’s get this over with.” He said the same words her daughter had said minutes ago.

The rite was intricate and ancient. And the truth was, that Sabrina barely paid attention to the words that would bind her to Caliban for the rest of her life. She simply said the words she should say without giving much thought to the meaning of them.

It all ended in the blink of an eye.

“As mortals say,” Caliban said softly bringing his face closer to hers “can I kiss the bride?”

Did she really have a choice? She couldn’t refuse him in front of all the aristocracy of Hell.

He leaned closer to her and she let him gave her a short kiss. She pulled away from him when she heard the whistles and catcalls of the crowd gathered in the throne room.

That bunch of insolent demons, she thought.

A low cry of pain filled the room.

Lilith.

“My baby.” She said, holding her belly with her hands “I think he is coming.”

Sabrina thought that apparently the threats to her reign never really ended.

* * *

Despite the pain she felt, Lilith managed to ask “What is she doing here?”

The midwife turned to see who had entered into the room, ready to say to whoever it was that no one could be there while the future mother was in labor, until she saw who it was. She bowed her head, her words forgotten.

“There is no such a thing as closed doors for me in Pandemonium, Lilith.” Sabrina replied, she walked slowly towards the bed where her former regent was. Sabrina was still wearing her wedding dress but not the crown or the veil “You would do well to remember that.”

“What are you doing here?” the woman snapped in the middle of another contraction.

“I want to see the birth of my brother.” The queen replied with a small smile on her lips that Lilith didn’t know how to interpret.

The woman looked at her with a frown. There was something upsetting in Sabrina’s eyes. Something Lilith hadn’t seen before. And she didn’t like it.

“I can't even give birth to my child alone?”

The queen leaned down until her lips were level with the ear of the woman to say “No.”

Lilith gave her a look of sheer hatred.

“You,” Sabrina indicated to one of the maids who was helping the midwife, carrying clean towels and warm water “bring me a chair.” She asked, even when she could easily conjure one for herself. It was just to show who was on charge there.

“You are seriously not leaving.” Lilith saw her words interrupted by a new contraction, she tried to keep her breath even “Don’t you have a wedding banquet to attend to, _your highness_?”

Sabrina shrugged one of her shoulders.

“I was bored. You know, having to listen to a bunch of drunken demons toasting and making obscene jokes is not how I like to spend my time.”

“How weird…” another contraction, they were closer and closer between each other “I thought you loved being the center of attention.”

The queen shrugged again, her lips pursed.

The wait was long. The delivery wasn’t easy. On more than one occasion Sabrina heard a knock on the door, surely one of the minions of the palace waiting to get news to bring to Lucifer. A somewhat tense smile spread across the queen’s lips, her dear old dad must have been on edge, waiting to meet his son. His new _heir_.

It would be a shame not to be able to see his disappointed face when he received the news.

Relief filled the room when the baby’s cry was finally heard.

“It’s a boy.” The midwife announced before handing the newborn to one of her assistants to clean him while she continued working with the mother.

Sabrina closed the door with a barely perceptible movement of her wrist, no one could get out of there until she wanted to. Once the baby was in his mother’s arms, cleaned and clothed, she waited for a few minutes more. She knew what she had to do and still, a part of her felt guilty about it. There was a part of her that still a Spellman, a part of her that still _felt_.

She knew what it was like to live without a mother and now she was going to condemn her brother to the same fate, but Lilith wouldn’t be a good mother, she remembered herself, she would poison him, use him to her own convenience.

She didn’t trust her, not anymore.

The queen of Hell watched as Lilith cradled her son in her arms in a motherly way or as motherly as she was able to. She took a deep breath and put a smile on her red lips.

“May I?” Sabrina asked gesturing towards the baby. She could see the apprehension and fear in the woman’s eyes as she reluctantly nodded. She knew that nothing good would come of refusing a queen’s command.

The queen cradled her little brother in her arms. It was strange, having someone to call brother.

“Hello little one.” She cooed. The baby had his eyes closed and his face contorted in a silent cry.

Sabrina looked towards Lilith.

“Well, Lilith, we have two options.” Sabrina told her “we can do this by hook or by crook, you choose.”

“What do you mean?” the woman asked trying to get up in bed, she was exhausted but also terrified “Give me my son back.” She added and tried to reach him with her arms but Sabrina walked away from her.

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Sabrina…”

“How many times I have to say it? I am the queen and you will address me with the respect that _I_ deserve!” the strength of her voice made Lilith fell back to the bed.

“Give me my son back.” Lilith insisted ignoring Sabrina’s words.

“I’m not going to let someone as vicious as you contaminate my brother.”

“He is my son!”

“And I am _your_ queen!” Sabrina said in a cold tone of voice “You are not going to see your son again, and I’m going to give you a day, so you can recover, but I want you out of this palace as quickly as possible.”

“You don’t know what you’re doing…”

“Are you threatening me, Lilith?” She clicked her tongue disapprovingly, there was a cold look in her brown eyes “You should know better by now…”

“You are a monster!”

Sabrina just laughed. A cruel laugh that made those who were in the room tremble.

“I’m going to be good with you, Lilith. I’m going to erase your memories of this moment…”

“What?”

She walked closer to her.

“Your son was born dead, Lilith.” She told her, despite having said baby safe in her arms “A tragedy indeed.”

“That’s not true.”

“Don’t try to resist, Lilith.” She knew Lilith was powerful, but after hours of labor she was no match for Sabrina and her ever-growing powers “Don’t make it harder for yourself.” she insisted, she repeated her words again until Lilith’s gaze turned blank.

“My son… was born dead.” She answered when Sabrina asked again.

“Very well, Lilith.” Sabrina commented. She turned to look at the maids and the midwife who were looking at her in terror “And regarding you, you will remember the same thing. A sad tragedy, no? The death of my brother. I know you did everything you could but… he is dead.”

They were still in trance when they nodded, hearing the queen’s words echoing in their minds even after she disappeared, with the baby in her arms, in a whirlwind of hellfire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, a lot of things happened in this chapter, right? Let me know what you think.


	12. The newcomer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you again for all the comments and kudos you left in this story, I'm so happy you are liking this crazy idea of mine.

Sabrina Morningstar looked at the lights and the carved pumpkins in the Mortuary’s porch.

It was October 31st. Halloween and also her birthday. Her 17th birthday.

But she felt so much older than 17 years old already. Much less innocent. Hell did that to her. After all, time passed differently there, a simple day on earth could be a year down there.

Sabrina looked at the baby cradled in her arms, he was sleeping wrapped in a heavy blanket. What she was going to do was necessary. It was the only choice she had.

To protect her brother. And to protect her crown.

She walked up the porch steps trying to make as little noise as possible, once in front of the door, her desire to enter and return with her family became too strong, too painful. She missed them. She missed the warmth of the Spellman house and aunt Hilda’s homemade meals, she even missed the scent of the cigarettes that always lingered around her aunt Zelda.

She missed her cousin Ambrose and his antics. How insufferably correct he always was.

Sabrina hadn’t noticed it but she already had her hand on the doorknob ready to open the door, she stepped away from it as if it were going to burn her. She couldn’t go back to them. She had already chosen.

Power over love. Power over her own family.

“You’ll be fine here, little one.” She said to the baby with a soft voice “My aunts will take care of you. They will love you, as they loved me.” She added before leaving him on the wooden floor, Sabrina knocked on the door before disappearing.

Hilda opened the door just as the last flames of hellfire disappeared in the air, a bowl with sweets in her hands and a smile on her lips. There were not many kids who ventured from the town to the Mortuary to trick or treat but she preferred to be prepared just in case a group decided to give it a try to the Spellman household, but it wasn’t a kid asking for candies what she found, but a baby crying at the floor. She hurried to left the bowl of candies and took the baby in her arms. Confusion was written all over her face.

Who could leave a baby there in the middle of the night?

“Zelda!” she called entering to the house “Zelds!”

“In Hecate’s name, why are you screaming like that?” Zelda, coming out from the parlor, asked to her sister. She saw the baby in Hilda’s arms “What…?”

“Someone left the poor baby outside the house. On this cold night, the poor lamb.”

Zelda walked to get closer to her sister, the little one had become silent as he was again in someone’s warm arms.

“Let’s take the baby to the parlor. It’s warmer there.” The eldest of the Spellman said.

“Aunties?” Sabrina said appearing in the hall, she stopped when she saw the baby in her aunt’s arms “is that…?”

“A baby someone left here on the door.”

“Why would someone leave a baby here? We are so far from town. It makes no sense.”

“I don’t know.” Her aunt replied “But we must to take care of him or her at least for now. I think there are some baby’s clothes in one of the closets, would you be so kind to bring some of them so we can dress the baby properly, Sabrina?”

Her niece nodded, she gave a last glance towards the mysterious baby before walking up the stairs, there was something about him or her that seemed familiar to her but she couldn’t say what it was.

It was just a feeling she couldn’t shake.

She was in the hallway that led to her aunt’s room when she sensed someone else’s presence, and she knew it wasn’t Ambrose since he was still at the Academy helping Prudence with the twins.

She turned around. Her own eyes looked back at her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked in a low voice even though she knew it was almost impossible for her aunts to hear them “Don't tell me there are problems in Hell because I won’t...”

“I need to talk with you.” Sabrina Morningstar interrupted her.

Sabrina Spellman crossed her arms over her chest “Do tell.”

“Not here, can we go to our… _your_ room?”

Sabrina guided her infernal counterpart to her room even though she knew the queen of Hell didn't need any guidance. The two of them knew that Victorian house like the back of their hands.

“I noticed that our aunts have already welcomed the baby.” Sabrina Morningstar said once the door was closed.

Sabrina nodded “How do you know about the baby?”

“I brought him here. That’s what I wanted to talk with you, that baby… is our brother.”

“What?” a mix of confusion and surprise stained Sabrina’s voice “We have a brother? But… how it’s that even possible?”

“Lilith.” Sabrina Morningstar replied “She somehow got pregnant with Lucifer’s baby.”

“Ok, I don’t want to know more about that…” she said with a shudder, she lowered her voice even more “But why did you bring him here?”

“Did you want me to leave him with Lilith and Lucifer? That those two raise him?”

She didn’t tell Sabrina the whole truth. It was not only an altruistic gesture what motivated her. She knew that this newborn baby was also a new threat to her reign.

A male heir was dangerous and Sabrina Morningstar, queen of Hell, wouldn’t allow anyone to take the crown from her.

Not after all the sacrifices she had made for it.

“You’re right,” Sabrina said “they would end up transform him into a monster just like them. We are going to take care of him.”

“The aunts can’t know the truth.”

“Of course not.” To tell them the true origin of the baby would only end up bringing up more questions. Questions she didn’t want to answer.

“I should go now.” The queen of Hell said. Sabrina Spellman nodded in agreement, the more she stayed, more the risk.

Sabrina Morningstar disappeared before she could say anything else. She stared at the place where her double had disappeared just a few seconds ago before leaving her room to do what her aunt had requested.

“I brought what you asked me, auntie.” Sabrina announced entering to the parlor.

“Thank you, Sabrina.”

She went to her aunt's side to hand her the clothes she had brought. She looked more closely at the baby who was now lying in the couch in the middle of his two aunts. They shared the same blood. He was her brother.

But he also was the devil’s son. Just like her.

“Was there a note or something?” she asked to her aunts.

“Just a few words in a paper asking to us to take care of the baby, but nothing more. I don’t know who would leave this poor baby out in the open on a night like this. It’s so cold outside.” Hilda said.

“And what are we going to do with him?”

“Adopt him, what else could we do after that note? We’ll raise him as we did with you.” Zelda answered this time.

Sabrina nodded “What if people start to ask questions?”

What would her aunts think if they knew they were going to raise their former Dark Lord’s baby… _again_?

“We are going to say that he is a distant nephew of ours who unfortunately was orphaned shortly after birth.” Zelda explained.

“So… it’s a boy.” Sabrina said and her aunt nodded.

“Isn’t he cute?” Hilda asked and Sabrina nodded absently “We need to get some goat’s milk to feed him, the poor thing is probably starving.” She added before getting up to go to the kitchen.

Sabrina sat in the spot Hilda had just left, she looked at the baby who started to cry again, as her aunt had said he was probably starving.

Zelda and she stayed silent until her aunt returned with a feeding bottle with warm goat milk, Sabrina got up from the couch to leave the place to Hilda who took the baby in her arms.

“He is barely a few hours old,” Zelda said suddenly, while Hilda accommodated the baby in her arms and brought the bottle closer to his mouth, stimulating him to start sucking “Who would have left him here?”

Sabrina remained silent. Only she knew the truth and she couldn’t tell them.

How many things was she hiding from her aunts now? The list just kept growing.

Hilda smiled when the baby began to feed from the bottle.

“We must think of a name.” she said “We can't keep calling him baby.”

“You are right, sister.” Zelda replied “And I think I have the perfect name for him.”

“Which name?” Sabrina asked in turn.

“Edward, like our brother. Sounds like an appropriate name, doesn't it?”

Sabrina nodded.

“Like dad…” she almost whispered.

Except Edward Spellman wasn’t really her father, she reminded herself.

Lucifer was.

* * *

Sabrina pulled down her red hood as she walked through the hallways of the palace in direction to her room. She was sure there were still some demons left celebrating her nuptials in one of the salons of the palace but she wasn’t in the mood to join to the celebrations, even for the sake of pretending. She was tired, the only thing she wanted was to get to her room, lie down on her bed and sleep. For a thousand years or even more. Going to earth had drained her emotionally.

“Are you happy now?” asked a voice form the shadows, startling her a bit.

“Father,” she said recognizing the figure moving away from the shadows and into the dim light of the hallway “what are you doing here?”

“I could ask the same thing. Shouldn’t you be celebrating your grand wedding?”

Sabrina made a face that didn’t go unnoticed by Lucifer.

“I just hope he doesn’t kill you while you sleep.” Her father told her “After all, now you are my only heir.”

So he had heard the news about the _death_ of her brother.

“I’m not your _heir_. I’m the queen.” She said to him “And don’t worry about Caliban, I’ll take care of him.”

Lucifer looked at her with a raised eyebrow “Are you sure about that?”

“Just wait and see, father.” Sabrina Morningstar replied “Now, if you’ll excuse me… I’m tired and I want to retire to my rooms for the night.”

“What are you going to do with Lilith?” Lucifer asked causing Sabrina to stop “If I can ask.”

“I told her to leave, where? I don’t really care.”

“You haven’t considered eternal torture?”

Sabrina paused for a moment to consider Lucifer’s words. her mind immediately flashed back to the way she had found Nick on her first trip to Hell, chained up, turned into nothing but a play thing to Lilith, his tongue severed. She clenched her fists.

Eternal torture didn’t seem like a bad idea after all.

“You are right, father.” A smile spread across her blood red lips “I think it’s the perfect ending for her. Would you like to do the honors?”

Lucifer smiled too, a smiled that would strike fear into the heart of the bravest of the men.

“With pleasure.”

Sabrina nodded at him one last time before heading to her room. Upon entering she was unpleasantly surprised to find someone else was there, waiting for her.

“What are you doing here, Caliban?”

He got up from the bed where he had been sitting and walked towards her with slow steps.

“Well, it’s our wedding night.” He said when he was just a few inches from her, one of his hands ran up her arm “I think we could finish what we started the other night.”

She pulled away from him when he tried to kiss her.

“I already told you that was a mistake. And our marriage is just a political arrangement. So don’t even think I’ll sleep with you.”

“We can do far more interesting things than sleep…” he tried to get closer to her once more but she dodged again.

“I’m not going to have sex with you if that what you think.” She stated “Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Got it?”

“I’m sure I can change your mind about that… _wife_.”

When he tried to get close to her for the third time she had enough.

“No.” she said in a firm voice “No.”

There was something different in her voice. There was something different in her eyes, something that did not allow him to look away, something that did not allow him to hear anything beyond her words.

Sweet as sin. Sharp as steel.

Her eyes were at red as her lips.

“Listen to me, _husband_ ,” she almost spat out the last word “from now on, you are going to obey me, do we agree?”

He nodded, his will suddenly lost.

Sabrina Morningstar smiled pleased.

“So now, be a good husband and go to your room and don’t bother me anymore. I’ll call you when I need you.”

Caliban nodded again before leaving the room without a word.

Sabrina sat in her bed slightly exhausted, she had imposed her will twice on too many people that day and although it was somewhat exhausting it also left her with a sensation of pleasure running through her veins that was intoxicating.

* * *

Nick put his hands on the pockets of his coat as he walked through the narrow streets of the still half asleep city. He couldn’t sleep. Nightmares weren’t something he could control and when he had a particularly bad night… the desire to drink again was stronger. And if he didn’t want to give in, he needed something to distract his troubled mind.

The need for fresh air became prevalent, the only think that calmed the rapid beat of his heart and the need, so he went out for a walk in the early morning, the morning dew clung to his clothes but at least allowed him to breath. He looked at the palm of his hand.

She hadn’t written to him for a couple of days and he didn’t know how to feel about it.

Nick shook his head, he had a goal in mind. That was why he had decided to move away from the big cities where the vice and the temptations were at hand, where falling again was so easy. The nature, the tranquility of the small towns lost between the plains and the mountains, near to the lakes and the sea, brought some peace to his troubled soul.

But he didn’t stay longer.

One week here. One week there. Nick knew that he was looking for something, something that he was still unable to name.

In that moment, when the sun was just beginning to peek over the hills, he decided it was time to leave that place.

He returned to the small inn where he was staying with slow steps. It wasn’t as if he had brought many of his belongings with him, most of them had been left at the Academy, he didn’t want ties with the past. He was trying to forget.

But some things were burned into his memory.

He has his backpack ready in less than half an hour but still had to wait a little longer for the inn keeper to get up, so he could pay his bill and leave.

Nick knew where he was going this time.

Once he had paid and left the inn, the once sleeping town had come to life again, people began to leave their houses to carry out their usual activities, that day was market day he remembered. He walked down the main street until he reached the dirt road, away from any prying eyes he teleported to his next destination.

The salinity of the air was the first thing he noticed. He had teleported near the cliffs, away from the town, the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks was as attractive as the song of the sirens had been for the ancient sailors, Nick approached to the brink of the cliff and for a moment he thought about how easy it would be to end all that torture. One more step and it would all end.

It would be so simple. It was so tempting.

But instead of taking a step forward he stepped back, that was not the solution to his problems and he knew it. He needed to face what was happening to him. Battle his own demons.

With the sound of his heart beating violently in his ears, he walked away from the cliffs.

It wasn’t the first time he had contemplated ending it all.

Maybe it wouldn’t be the last either.

Nick clenched his hands into fists. He had enough willpower to overcome it, even if it was too deep inside him, even though he still couldn’t reach it completely.

Someday he would. And then… He didn’t really know what he would do. He had decided that he would take one step at a time. Live life one day at a time.

The walk to the nearest town was long but he didn’t care, the physical exercise, the fatigue, were welcome, they assured him a dreamless night and there was nothing he appreciated more than that.

He had had enough sleepless night for a lifetime, even for one as long as his would be.

The town he came into seemed stopped in time. The streets were still covered with cobblestones and the buildings seemed to be a few centuries old. Nick like it right away. He was walking around, looking for an inn to stay, he noticed how he attracted the attention of the people who were walking down the street as him, apparently they were not used to receive too many tourist and an outsider was a novelty. He tried to ignore the glances, it was then when the small building caught his eye.

It was small and, how everything seemed to be in that place, worn by the passage of time, but the sign said it was the local library.

A wave of nostalgia invaded him, once the library of his parents’ house and then the Academy’s had been his safe havens when the outside world became too much to bear. A book always brought him comfort. Finding a small library so far away seemed almost like a sign but from whom? Nick was not sure, he no longer knew who he had to worship or if he had to worship some deity at all, his faith was as shattered as his soul.

He was already entering into the building when he noticed what he was doing.

There was an air of familiarity inside the place. And it wasn’t just the smell of the ink and the old books. He could feel the subtle scent of magic in the air.

It was strange. But at the same time so familiar.

Anyone could tell that the place had once been a house now transformed into a makeshift library, small, with just a couple of tables and chairs and shelves full of old books. At the front at a narrow desk sat an old woman who looked at him with a smile on her lips. He felt as if he knew her but couldn't tell from where.

“Hello,” she greeted him “how I can help you, stranger?”

“Good afternoon.” Nick replied “I…”

He didn’t really know what to say, still confused by the magic he felt emanating from the place.

“You are not from around here, are you?” the woman asked him “American, right?”

Nick nodded.

“I knew it by your accent. And tell me, what is a warlock from so far doing here?”

He blinked in surprise. How could that woman know that he was…?

“How…?”

“I can feel the magic around you, boy.” The old woman replied another smile “I haven’t seen another one of our kind in years.”

“You are a witch.” Nick said “I felt the magic as soon as I entered here.”

The woman nodded.

“Demelza Higgins.” She introduced herself extending her hand towards him.

Nick walked the few steps between the front door and the desk.

“Nicholas Scratch.” He introduced himself too, taking the woman’s hand.

“Well,” The woman, Demelza, insisted “Nicholas Scratch, what brings you here?”

He shrugged.

“I needed a change of scene.”

“Most of the young warlocks like you would prefer a much more crowded places with better things to offer than a small town in the middle of nowhere like this.”

“I like the tranquility of small towns.” Nick replied with a new shrug. The woman looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes but said nothing.

“Well, do you plan to stay here for a while?”

“Maybe, I just arrived.”

“In that case,” she said with a smile “do you want a library card?”

He smiled too. It had been too long since he had taken a book in his hands for the simple pleasure of doing it.

“According to the rules, the cards are only for residents but I think we can break the rules a bit, right? After all, it’s not like a lot of people come here anyway.”

“No?”

“No, there aren’t many young people left here as you will find out soon. And most of the old people are no longer interested in reading or are too old to do so.” She explained “You can walk around… We don’t have that many titles but maybe you can find something that interests you.”

Nick nodded, he could feel the call of the books. The need to get closer to them, to run his fingers over the spines of the old volumes, to breath in the aroma of the old pages.

It was strange, but for the first time in months he felt a little more like himself.

* * *

Sabrina, Roz and Harvey were at the entrance of the cinema waiting for Theo and Robin to arrive so they could enter but they were late.

“Theo said they would be here in 5 minutes.” Roz remembered them.

“Do you think something happened to them?”

Sabrina felt her heart skip a beat. If something happened to one of her friends…

She looked at Harvey and Roz, they looked so happy, and she didn’t want to tell them something that surely would disturb them but she needed them to know the truth. Tell them about Blackwood and ask them to be careful and vigilant. She didn’t want to put them in risk by keeping them ignorant.

She would do it today, Sabrina decided, she could not continue delaying it, so when they went to Cee’s after the movies she was going to tell them.

She took a deep breath that didn’t go unnoticed by her friends.

“Is something wrong, ‘Brina?” Harvey asked looking at her, Roz did the same.

“Ah? No, nothing, I’m fine.” She replied “Look, Theo and Robin are coming.” she said pointing to the street.

“Guys, what took you so long? The movie is about to start.” Roz told them.

“You won’t believe what happened.” Theo answered almost breathlessly, it seemed as if he and Robin had come running all the way from the farm.

“What happened?”

“The goats. A lot of them dead… out of nowhere.”

Sabrina felt the blood freeze in her veins. Something inside her told her that it couldn't mean anything good.

“How many… how many goats died?” she asked.

“Thirteen.”

“And are you sure they weren’t already sick?”

Theo shook his head.

“The vet had come to check them earlier in the week. It’s so weird… because he came to do an autopsy on some and found nothing abnormal.”

“Guys, I think we need to talk.” Sabrina informed everyone, her friends looked at her confused “Now.”

“But what about the movie?”

Roz looked at her friend with a questioning look in her eyes, Sabrina nodded imperceptibly.

“I think this is more important than the movie.” She told them.

“You know something that you are not telling us.” Harvey looked at her with a frown.

“Can we go to Cee’s?” Sabrina asked preferring not to answer Harvey’s question.

Her friends nodded.

They left the cinema, Sabrina could feel her heart beating in her ears as they walked towards the store. She thought about how she was going to tell them what was happening. She had decided to do it that day but she had thought she would have some hours to prepare.

She was sure the death of the animals on Theo’s family farm was only an omen of more things to come. And none of them was good.

Blackwood would attack again. The problem was not knowing when this would be.

“What’s going on, ‘Brina?” Harvey asked once they were all seated in one of the narrow booth of the place, milkshakes in the center of the table still untouched.

She took a deep breath before starting to speak.

“This last summer… my family and I, we were threatened by our former High Priest, he somehow had access to some cosmic energies called the Eldritch terrors…” she told them everything, just as she had told Roz some weeks ago.

“But… why didn’t you tell us? We could have helped you.” Harvey said, he was a bit irritated with Sabrina because she kept hiding things from them.

“I didn’t want to put you guys at risk.” Was her reply “But… That’s not all.”

“What else it’s going on?”

“A few days ago… Blackwood somehow managed to escape from his cell and now we don’t know where he is or what he is planning but for sure it’s nothing good. That’s why I need you to be careful, I’m afraid he could try to hurt you this time.”

“So you think that what happened in the farm…” Theo began to say.

“I think it’s probably his doing.” Sabrina replied “So please be careful, and if you notice anything abnormal… whatever it is, let me know.”


	13. Looking for answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you had a merry Christmas... We are very close to the premiere of part 4!! (And of course it won't be anything like this fic, but I still hope you stick around) As always, thanks you so much for reading, leaving comments and giving kudos to this story, you have no ide how much it means to me!! And now, let's go for the new chapter...

Nick was laying on his bed about to fall asleep after a day of intense reading when he heard a voice calling him from the small mirror in the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom of the inn he was staying.

There was only one person who knew how to contact him and she didn't do it very often.

Barely suppressing a yawn, he got up from the bed. He rubbed a hand over his face trying to drive away sleep before reaching the mirror.

“Prudence?” he asked surprised that she had decided to contact him after so long.

“Nicky…”

She looked a bit nervous. And he had never seen her like that, Prudence was always so confident.

“Something happened?” he couldn’t help but ask.

She nodded.

“I know I shouldn’t bother you with this and I’ve thinking about it long enough but… My father…”

“What about your father?”

“He escaped some weeks ago.”

“How?” he asked even when he already knew that the young witch had no answer, he clenched his fists at the sides of his body trying to fight the impulse that told him that he should return to Greendale immediately. Sabrina could be in danger, the whole coven could be in danger again “Why are you telling me this, Pru?” he asked instead, though he suspected what his friend’s response would be.

“I know I shouldn’t be asking you this but… I think we’re going to need you here.”

Nick exhaled deeply. His entire being conflicted between doing the right thing and doing what was healthy for him.

And a part of him really wanted to go back but he also knew that he needed to think about himself this time.

“Prudence… I’m not ready to go back, not yet.”

“Nicky…”

What he said was true, just now, after months of ups and downs, he had finally begun to notice that he was walking on solid ground again and he didn’t want to ruin his progress and he knew that if he returned to Greendale at that moment everything would be ruined. And maybe, it was selfish of his part, maybe it wasn’t right.

But he needed to put himself in first place.

“I need more time.”

This time it was Prudence’s turn to sigh.

“I get it, Nicky, really. You’ll come back when you think you’re ready.”

He nodded. He knew that he would eventually return, he knew that Greendale had things that he couldn't give up.

“We healed Agatha.” She told him changing the subject “Well, Ambrose was the one who found the cure.”

“That’s wonderful news. How is she?”

“As good as she could be.” Even when she was happy to have her sister back she still looked a bit down, another sigh left her lips, when she spoke again her voice was a bit broken “I couldn’t tell her what she did to Dorcas.”

“Oh.”

“She doesn’t remember what happened anyway, and I think it’s better if she doesn’t know.”

“Do you think that’s the right thing to do?”

“I don’t want my sister to suffer more than she already has. She doesn’t need to know.” Prudence insisted.

“I get it.” This time, Nick couldn’t hold back a yawn, it was late and he really needed to sleep.

“Oh, you are tired, I’d better let you rest.”

“Thanks for keeping in touch, Pru.” He said, Nick hesitated, the question on the tip of his tongue “How is she?” he asked after some hesitation.

The exasperated sigh of his friend didn’t go unnoticed to him.

“Nicky…” she warned.

“Please, Prudence… I just need to know.”

“Sabrina is just as fine as she could be, for a while she looked like a weeping widow but now she seems to be doing a bit better, but you know, she spends more time with her mortals friends than with us so I don’t see her that much.”

“Be nice with her, will you?”

Prudence made a face.

“Don’t ask for impossible things.”

Nick shook his head. Some things never change.

“Goodbye, Prudence.” He said with a little sad smile on his lips.

“Bye, Nicky. Don’t be a stranger and keep in touch from time to time, will you?”

“I will.” He promised “And if things got really bad…”

“I’ll let you know.”

He exhaled loudly when the communication ended. Blackwood was on the loose again, he was a threat over everyone’s heads, but this time, he had to think in himself. He wouldn’t do any good either to himself or the others if he went back right now. And yet, a part of him wanted nothing more than pick up his few belongings and return to Greendale in that instant.

He clenched his fists again. No, he wouldn’t. not this time, he would stay where he was. He would heal first.

Even if that sounded selfish, it was what needed to do.

* * *

The door slammed behind Sabrina’s back.

“Aunt Zelda!” She called walking through the foyer.

She didn’t bother on taking off her coat or leaving her bag before walking towards the parlor. She needed to talk with her aunt immediately.

Her aunt was in the parlor as she had suspected, sitting on the sofa with Mambo Marie, a glass on one of her hands, her cigarette holder in the other, Mambo’s arm around her shoulders.

“What is all that noise, Sabrina?” she asked a bit annoyed by her niece’s manners.

“Aunt Zelda, we need to talk.”

Her aunt raised an eyebrow in an interrogative gesture, Mambo also looked at her, her arm falling from Zelda’s shoulders.

“We have to tell them.” Sabrina said.

“Tell _what_ to _whom_?”

“Something happens?” Hilda asked coming out of the kitchen. She had heard the noise of the door, Sabrina’s call for Zelda and something inside her told her that trouble was coming. She prayed to Hecate to be wrong but for the look in her niece’s eyes she thought that she wouldn't be so lucky.

“Blackwood happens.”

“What? Did you see him?” Zelda got to her feet so quickly that she almost dropped the glass she was holding “Where? Did he try to do something to you?”

“No,” Sabrina denied, Hilda exhaled relieved and Zelda relaxed a bit “I didn’t see him. But I think he it’s close.”

“Sabrina… if this is just about your assumptions.” Her aunt started to say dismissing whatever she wanted to say. That only infuriated Sabrina even more.

“Thirteen goats from the Putmans’ farm died for no apparent reason.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“But if it does? Really, auntie, what are you waiting for?” Sabrina said raising her voice “Why do you want to hide from the other what is happening? Blackwood it’s a threat to us all.”

“Sabrina, it’s not necessary to alert the entire coven just because some goats died.” Zelda replied with a snort before taking a drag from her cigarette.

“Isn’t it necessary? That madman is on the loose again and you don’t want to tell the others? What are you waiting for, that he attacks someone, to do something?”

“Sabrina, calm down, honey…” Hilda asked her with pleading eyes but her niece ignored her.

“Aunt Zelda… Either you tell them what’s going on or I’m going to tell them.”

Sabrina knew it was a risky move, to threaten her aunt, but she felt that she was left with no alternative.

“You wouldn’t dare…”

“Oh, I would.”

The glass in Zelda’s hand exploded and the lights in the room flickered.

“Enough, young lady. We, the adults, will take care of Blackwood, and there is no need to alert the other… yet.” Her aunt insisted.

“You do this out of pride… You don’t want to admit what is happening because your pride doesn’t allow you to. But aunt Zelda, people could die or worse things could happen if they are not alert, if they are not aware of the danger. Today were just goats, but tomorrow?”

Zelda pursed her lips but didn’t answer her.

“Darling, it’s better if you go to your room.” Hilda asked.

“I don’t want…”

“Do as Hilda says, Sabrina.”

“Aunt Zelda…”

“To your room!” Zelda raised her voice.

Sabrina bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself form reply, even though her whole body wanted to stay there, continue arguing until her aunt came to her senses, she ended up adjusting the strap of the bag and walking towards the stairs, as she passed the pictures on the walls trembled due to her anger.

“I think she’s right, Zelda.” Marie said urging her to take a seat. The witch resisted but finally gave in.

“It’s true, Zelds. We cannot continue denying what is happening” this time it was Hilda who spoke.

Zelda hid her face in her hands for an instant.

“Don’t you get it?” she asked looking up “How can I be considered a proper leader if I’m not capable of defending my own coven. We weren’t able to stop Blackwood the first time, and now we don’t know where he is, what he is planning… How are we going to be able to stop him now?”

“Zelda, it wasn’t your fault. We don’t know what we were up against, not really. We will be more prepared now.” Hilda insisted.

“I should know what to do. I am the High Priestess; I should have the answers!”

“Zelds…”

The redheaded witch got back to her feet.

“I’m going to my study; I need to think.”

Hilda and Marie shared a worried looked when Zelda left the parlor.

* * *

Nick felt more like himself day by day.

The little library in the middle of nowhere had become his oasis in the middle of the desert. He hadn’t had a drink in weeks, and although there were still moments when he felt that compelling need to erase everything from his mind, especially the nights when sleep was elusive, he now felt capable of resisting.

He had forgotten how invigorating it was to know he was capable of being in complete control of himself.

“What are you studying today, boy?”

“This tome of elemental magic.” He replied “Seriously, you shouldn’t leave things like this in the sight of mortals, Demelza.”

She waved her hands dismissively.

“Nonsense, I already told you no one comes here anymore.” It was true, in the weeks that he had been there he had barely come across one or two mortals “And the few who come around think it’s just gibberish.”

Nick smiled to her. It was a real, honest smile that surprised even him.

“Are you ever going to tell me your story, boy?”

He sighed.

“It’s complicated.”

Demelza nodded understandingly.

“Usually it is” she answered with an understanding smile “Whenever you’re ready I’ll listen.” Nick nodded “Well, Nicholas, it’s late…” added the woman, he was going to start to collect his things but the witch surprised him by leaving an old key on the table “close when you’re done.”

He was surprised, he didn’t expect that.

“Are you sure about this?”

The woman nodded.

“You seem like a good boy. Besides, I don’t want to interrupt your studies just because my old bones aren’t what they used to be and now demand me that I go to bed early.” She added with a smile of her own.

“Good night, Demelza.”

“Good night, Nicholas.” She said before leaving, only then Nick noticed that she dragged her feet when walking, he couldn’t help but wonder how old the woman would really be.

He looked back at the table once the front door closed, over the books he had took out of the shelves there was one he was sure wasn’t there before, it drew his attention immediately, Nick took it, he couldn’t make out the title, the letters surely erased by the passage of time.

He opened it in the first page to see what it was about.

_Hecate. The goddess of witches._

Nick turned to the next page, and then the next and the next, absorbed by the story, the rituals. Certain things began to make sense in his head as he continued reading.

The old ways.

There was more than one way to access to magic, once a goddess was the one who protected his kind, he couldn’t help but wonder how many others ramifications the witchcraft would have.

He wanted to know them all.

Suddenly, that last knot that unconsciously still tied him, that belief that he still owed his powers to the being that had destroyed him, broke.

And he felt free. Able to really breath for the first time in months.

* * *

“I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“Sabrina…” her aunt Zelda warned sternly as she walked from one side of the room to the other with Edward in her arms, the little boy had been irritable and refused to take his nap even though Zelda had tried almost everything with him “We already talked about this.”

“And you know very well what I think about it, auntie.” Sabrina insisted “When are we going to tell what is happening to the rest of the coven? Or are you going to wait for someone to notice that the cell is empty before speaking the truth to them?”

Zelda let out a snort as she closed her eyes for a few moments.

“Hecate give me patience…” she murmured under her breath “We will tell them…” Zelda finally gave in and Sabrina opened her mouth ready to celebrate her victory in the battle of wills but just a look from her aunt stopped her “but after your aunt Hilda’s wedding.”

“But what if it’s too late…” Sabrina insisted as she tied a bow around one of the weddings favors with more force than necessary.

“Enough, Sabrina. That’s my last word on the matter.” Zelda said “Now, if you would be so kind to bring me a bottle of goat milk for Edward, I think he’s hungry.” She added skillfully changing the subject.

Sabrina stood up. She didn’t totally agree with her aunt’s attitude towards the Blackwood’s problem but at least she had finally give in and decided to tell the truth to the members of the coven. But aunt Hilda’s wedding was in two more weeks… what if Blackwood decided to do something before?

Should she go ahead and tell the truth to the others even though her aunt had expressly forbidden her to do so?

What was the worst that could happen? Being grounded for a couple of weeks? That seemed like a small price to pay if it meant the safety of the others. As she heated the goat’s milk for her brother, she thought that she just needed to find the perfect moment to tell the truth to the coven.

“Here you have it, aunt Zelda.” Sabrina said, handing her the bottle for Edward before sitting back to continue helping with the wedding favors.

Zelda accept it with a nod as a thank you, she checked that the temperature of the milk was appropriate before giving the bottle to the baby.

“There you go, little one.” Zelda said to the baby, after a few minutes she looked up from him and directed her gaze to her nice “Don’t even think about it, Sabrina.”

Sabrina looked at her in confusion, all innocence.

“What are you talking about auntie?”

“I know what _you_ intent to do, young lady.”

“I don’t intent to do anything, auntie Zee.”

“Oh, please Sabrina, you are a terrible liar.” Her aunt replied and Sabrina couldn’t help but think her aunt had no idea how many lies she had been telling “You are not going to say anything, if I have to keep you locked in your room until aunt’s wedding day believe I will.”

“You wouldn’t dare…”

Ambrose, who had just entered into the room noticed the tension in the air. He looked from his aunt to his cousin to Hilda’s worried face, he let out a sigh before going to Sabrina’s side and took her by the shoulders.

“Cousin,” he said with more enthusiasm than what he actually felt “why don’t we go to your room? I need to talk about something with you.”

“Ambrose…” Sabrina said, her eyes still focused on Zelda.

He pressed his fingers a little more against her shoulders.

“We need to talk.” He insisted.

“I think it’s for the best if you go with Ambrose, honey.” This time it was Hilda who spoke. Sabrina sighed.

“Fine.” She relented, before getting up from the table to follow her cousin out of the room, he put his arm around her shoulders.

“Cousin, cousin,” Ambrose said shaking his head when they were out of earshot of his aunt “why are you so stubborn?”

“Are you seriously asking me that, Ambrose?” she asked instead of answering “You know very well why I’m acting as I do. Don’t tell me you also think it’s better not to say anything to the coven like aunt Zelda does.” She added, trying to pull away from his embrace but he didn’t let her.

“Nothing like that, it’s just that in my much longer life I have learned to choose well my battles, cousin. That’s all.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“What I meant it’s that you don’t get anything out of arguing with aunt Zelda. We are talking about the person who has a collection of shoes of the people she has cursed for Hecate’s sake, and yes, you are her niece and she probably wouldn’t do something so drastic to you but she is quite capable of locking you up in your room until the wedding or even later.”

Sabrina laughed.

“She wouldn’t.”

“I know her better than you do, Sabrina.”

The young witch snorted.

“You can’t expect me to sit idly watching her do nothing.”

“Of course not… It’s not in you, that’s why you and I are going to investigate.”

“Is there anything left to investigate in the library?” Sabrina asked confused, she thought that her cousin and Nick had already researched every single book inside the place.

“No, but then I remembered you have contacts in a certain place that could come in handy right now.” Ambrose commented, while they continued walking towards Sabrina’s room.

“You mean… _Hell_?” she asked in a hushed voice.

Her cousin nodded.

“Do you think that is a good idea, Ambrose?”

“The rumor said that the infernal libraries have books on all the known topics in the entire cosmos, if there is anything that can help us, it must be there.”

“If so, I think I’ll have to contact Sabrina Morningstar then.”

“And… do you have a way to contact her?” he asked genuinely curious.

Sabrina shook her head.

“No, not really.” She replied “But one night I managed, somehow to go to hell in my dreams… I don’t know, maybe, I could try to do it again.”

“Now? Or tonight?”

“There is no time like the present, right?”

“Then we’ll need one of aunt Hilda’s sleeping teas. I’ll go find some in the kitchen.”

Sabrina nodded. She sat on her bed while she waited for her cousin to return with the tea that would help her to sleep, she didn’t know very well how she had managed to get into hell through her dreams the other time but she could try, if not, they would have to try to enter as she did before through one of the portals of Dorian’s paintings.

Unintentionally, her hands went to the necklace.

A sigh left her lips. She had tried not to think about him but sometimes it was impossible not to. She missed Nick but she had to, not, she needed to move on, she couldn’t keep crying in the corners, or writing to him every day when she already knew she wouldn’t get an answer. After all, maybe Prudence was right and he was better off without her.

Another sigh escaped from her lips, she had to focus on more pressing matters, such as the threat Blackwood represented.

The door of her dormitory opened and Ambrose entered with a cup in his hands.

“Here it is.” He indicated raising the cup of tea in his hands “are you ready?”

Sabrina nodded.

“Let’s try it.” She responded reaching out her hand to accept the tea that Ambrose handed her.

She drank it in small sips until the cup was completely empty, then she held it out to her cousin before lying on the bed, little by little she began to feel her eyelids heavier until her eyes finally closed.

She tried to focus her thoughts on Sabrina Morningstar, in her need to reach out for her, she hoped that she would be alone the moment she found her. She didn’t know if the other could see her when she walked around hell in her dreams.

But she wasn’t able to make the connection no matter how hard she tried.

She opened her eyes startled.

“And?” Ambrose asked.

“Nothing,” she replied sitting up on the bed and hanging hers legs over the edge “I couldn’t do it.”

Ambrose tapped his finger against his lips, thoughtful.

“We could try Dorian’s.” Sabrina suggested “Use one of his paintings to go directly to hell.”

“Do you want to try now?”

She nodded.

* * *

“You are going to need a glamor.” Ambrose commented as they walked around the paintings “If someone sees you, I think your counterpart won’t want to explain why there are two of you either.”

“You’re right.” Sabrina performed the necessary spell to look like one of the many minions that swarmed around the palace, so she would not draw unnecessary attention “How do I look?”

“Absolutely unrecognizable.” Her cousin commented.

“Ok, let’s do this.”

Sabrina said the incantation that would allow her to cross the portal to hell. It was strange, setting her feet back Pandemonium, she didn’t like feeling a sense of connection with the place.

It seemed like hell was always going to be a part of her.

She walked the corridors of the palace as if she recognized them, as if knew the place. She didn’t like the feeling.

Sabrina Morningstar wasn’t as hard to find as she would have thought, the queen of hell was strolling through one of the gardens of the palace, alone, Sabrina could not have asked for a better opportunity.

“Your majesty.” She said and the queen turned around to see her, she raised an eyebrow surprised by the presence of one of the palace’s minion that she hadn’t summoned.

“Yes?”

Sabrina let the glamor fade off for a moment so the queen could see who she was.

“What are you doing here?” she asked getting closer to her.

“We need to talk.”

Sabrina Morningstar nodded.

“Fine, just put the glamor back on, let’s go to my rooms, no one can see you here. Or we are going to have to give a lot of explanations.”

The corridors were full of other minions and maids walking around doing their work for the day, so it didn’t raise any suspicion to see their queen walking with a minion behind her, thankfully no aristocrat crossed their path. Sabrina Morningstar closed the door of her room and put a spell to soundproof the place before turning around to look at her counterpart who had already withdrawn the glamor from herself.

“What’s going on? Why are you here?”

“I need your help.”

“My help? Why do you need my help?”

“Greendale is in danger. Our family is in danger.”

“What’s happening?” the queen asked, sitting in one of the small armchairs in the room, she indicated with her hand to Sabrina to do the same.

“Blackwood.” She replied “Months ago he released the Eldritch terrors.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“We thought we had defeated him.”

“But you didn’t kill him?”

“He has the mark of Cain.”

“That complicates all.”

“That’s right, as I was saying, we thought we had defeated him, we had him locked up in one of the cells of the Academy but, somehow, he escaped and I’m afraid he will try to attack again.”

“How can I help you?”

“Ambrose thought that maybe there could be information that could help us here. He and… Nick, they’ve already gone through the entire Academy’s library and the sanctum too and there’s not much information on how to deal with the Eldritch terrors, we are not sure… if what we did the last time was right.”

Sabrina Morningstar nodded.

“I can research and send you what I find, but… maybe you will need more help than just that.”

“I don’t know.” Sabrina Spellman closed her eyes for a moment “We need to know what we’re up against.”

The queen of hell nodded.

“Of course I’m going to help you, you can count on me, Sabrina.”

“Thank you.” She took the other Sabrina’s hands in hers for a brief moment “I should go now; we shouldn’t risk anyone seeing us together.”

“How did you get here?”

“I used one of Dorian’s portals.” She said getting up from the armchair.

The queen of hell opened her mouth then, she wanted to tell her about her wedding, to know if Sabrina understood that what she had done was what was needed to be done, to protect the crown, to protect her life, but instead she said “Goodbye, Sabrina.”

And Sabrina Spellman was sure that was not what she really wanted to say but the flames of hellfire had already engulfed her.


	14. The decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I decided to update a day before because I think we all need as many fics as we can get after part 4, don't you think?

Sabrina smoothed the skirt of her light blue dress.

It was her aunt Hilda’s wedding day and although she was happy for her aunt and her future husband… she couldn’t get rid of the tightness she felt in her chest since she woke up that morning, the sensation that something was about to happen.

But _what_?

She hoped it was nothing bad. She didn’t want to see her aunt’s happiest day ruined.

The young witch took her hairbrush and ran it through her hair before putting her distinctive black headband back in place. She looked at herself in the mirror again to fix her make-up before going to her aunt Hilda’s room to see if she needed anything and then go downstairs to help Ambrose with any last minute details that it might have presented.

Sabrina was about to leave her room when suddenly a stack of books appeared on her bed, they were thick books, with leather covers in colors she had never seen before, a piece of parchment folded in half was over them. They were books coming directly from Hell’s library, she hastened to take them and hide them in her wardrobe, she couldn’t risk that one of her aunts saw the books by accident because that would lead to a conversation she definitely didn’t want to have. Once the books were safe and hidden from view, she took the note that accompanied them.

_I hope these serve you and Ambrose for now. I will continue investigating._

_Sabrina M._

She left the note hidden along with the books, she wanted to stay there, open one of those books and see if the solution to their problems was in any of their pages but the time of the ceremony was approaching and she had not fulfilling her duties as maid of honor.

This would not be a black wedding, this would be the first wedding held by the Church of Hecate.

And her aunt Zelda would kill her, or at least ground her for life, if the wedding didn’t turn out perfect.

With a sigh and a last longing look at her wardrobe, Sabrina left her room and headed towards her aunt Hilda’s. She knocked on the door.

“Sabrina? Is it you, love?” Hilda asked from inside the room.

“Yes, auntie, can I come in?”

“Of course, do come in, love.”

Sabrina opened the door.

“I came to see if you needed anything.” The young witch said, she looked at her aunt who was in front of a mirror, wearing a beautiful cream colored dress “You look beautiful, auntie.”

Hilda smiled with a small pleased smile, her cheeks a bit flushed.

“Thank you.”

“Are you nervous?” Sabrina couldn’t help asking, going to her aunt’s side.

Her aunt took a deep breath.

“I’m not going to lie to you. I am a bit nervous.”

“I think it must be normal.” Sabrina answered shrugging her shoulders “Everything will be fine, auntie.” she assured her but she still felt that odd sensation in the pit of her stomach she couldn’t shake.

Her aunt hugged her, when they pulled apart Hilda’s eyes when to her niece’s neck, only then Sabrina noticed she hadn’t put the necklace under her clothes as she usually did.

“From where did you get that necklace, Sabrina?”

Sabrina took a deep breath. Would ever stop hurting her so much to say his name?

“Nick.” Was her only answer, her aunt nodded, she still had her hands around Sabrina’s arms and gave them a gentle squeeze.

“Do you know…”

“What it means?”

Hilda nodded.

“Ambrose told me.” She said looking to the floor, she tried to fight the sadness she still felt every time she thought about Nick.

“You miss him…” Hilda commented in a low voice, she had never really liked the boy but she had to admit that what he and Sabrina felt for each other seemed to be more than a simple rebound crush as she had first thought.

Sabrina took another deep breath before looking up, she didn’t want to talk about Nick, not in that instant, because if she did it would make her feel even sadder and her aunt Hilda deserved nothing more than to see happy tears in everyone’s eyes that day. She nodded slightly.

“Can we not talk about him, please?” she asked. Her voice also low.

“Yeah, right,” Hilda said, caressing Sabrina’s cheek “sorry, love.”

Sabrina shook her head. She still could feel the tears pricking in her eyes but she kept them at bay.

“Well, there is anything you need help with, auntie?”

Hilda shook her head.

“No, love, I’m fine.”

“Well then, I’m going to go help Ambrose, see if there is anything to do before the ceremony and I’ll come for you when we are about to start.”

Hilda felt a chill of emotion running down her back, in a little less than an hour she would be marrying the love that she had been waiting for throughout all those years. If only everyone could be as happy as she was feeling.

Sabrina left the room, she closed the door behind her back and leaned against it, her hand touching the pendant on the necklace. She closed her eyes for a moment. Memories flowing to her.

“Stop it, Sabrina.” She told herself before opening her eyes and head for the stairs.

She found her cousin Ambrose in the room where the ceremony would take place, arranging the chairs where the guests would sit.

“Need some help?” she asked surprising him a bit.

“Cousin,” he said looking at her with a warm smile on his face “you are a sight for sore eyes.”

She made a dismissive gesture with her hand.

“Need some help?” she asked again.

“Almost everything is ready now. We only have to wait for the guests to arrive.”

His cousin nodded before approaching to him.

“I have some news,” she said to him speaking into his ear, Ambrose got a clear idea of what she was referring to “Sabrina sent some books, we could start looking through them after the ceremony, what do you think?”

Ambrose nodded, she could see in his eyes that desire she also felt to go upstairs and start reading immediately but they had to wait. Their aunt’s wedding was first.

Even if the world was falling apart, Sabrina now knew that family came first. She had learned it the hard way after all.

“I hope we find something in them that can help us.”

“Me too, Ambrose, me too.” She answered leaning her head on his shoulder.

They heard a knock on the door.

“Those must be the first guests arriving.”

“I hope everything goes well today.”

Ambrose knew very well what his cousin fears were. He feared the same.

* * *

The ceremony led by Zelda where Dr Cerberus and Hilda declared their eternal love was very emotional to everyone's surprise. The Spellmans and their guests applauded when the newlyweds sealed their union with a tender kiss.

Sabrina was among the first to approach to her aunt and her husband to congratulate them.

“Congratulations, auntie.” She said giving her a hug. Then she looked at her aunt’s brand new husband “Welcome to the family, Dr. Cee.”

He thanked her with a nod.

“Thank you, Sabrina.”

“Yeah, we’re a little crazy,” Ambrose added, coming over to congratulate them too “but I think you’ll adapt to us just fine.”

The Spellman cousins left the newlyweds to let the rest of the gests approach to them and minutes later all them had moved to the salon where the small reception would take place. It wasn’t a big wedding after all, just the people who needed to be there.

Sabrina observed the guests around the room. Agatha and Prudence were in one of the corners, talking, while the latter secretly followed Ambrose with a longing in her eyes she couldn’t quite hide.

She shook her head, those two needed to talk but she now knew she shouldn’t interfere, that was their business, not hers.

Sitting in one of the chairs arranged around the room and eating some of the sweets that Hilda herself had prepared, were the twins, Judith and Judas, she felt so sorry for them. Everyone was trying to help them, Blackwood had barely worried about their magical education, more concerned all those years of kept them in the ignorance to make them good sacrifices for his twisted plans.

But they learned quickly and soon they would be able to start their first year at the Academy, Zelda was still trying to figure out what rite of passage would they use, if any, since now none of them was obliged to sign away their soul signing the book of the beast.

Even so, Sabrina was still a bit sad for the twins, they still had a hard time opening up to others, preferring always be together, talking in whispers, as if they were a symbiotic unit.

The rest of the members of the coven walked from one side of the room to the other, talking, laughing and enjoying the food that Hilda had prepared. Sabrina took a sip of her glass of wine.

“Hey, girl.” Roz said going to her side “why are you here all alone?”

“Ah?” she asked looking at her a bit confused “I was just looking around.”

“You are worried.”

“A bit.” Sabrina admitted, she sighed “Do you think that someday this will end? That someday my life will be, I don’t know… normal?”

“I don’t think your life is ever going to be completely normal, ‘Brina, but I know what you mean.”

Sabrina nodded, she also understood what her friend wanted to tell her, she was a witch, her life would never be completely normal.

It was at that moment that she felt it, it was strange, a sensation of dread in the pit of her stomach.

Something was about to happen. Something bad. Sabrina scanned the room, looking for any threat that might be there, she was barely aware of Roz’s calling her as she began to walk around the room, looking at everybody, in every corner.

“Time to cut the cake!” Hilda announced.

And that was the moment when hell broke loose.

It was the screams of horror what made Sabrina turn around to see what was happening, her heart pounding, ready to fight. But there was no monster in there, it was the huge wedding cake her aunt Hilda had been baking for days what had caused the screams, from it were falling worms and all kinds of vermin, a black slimy substance fell to the floor and stained her aunt’s wedding dress.

It was then that the laughter echoed off the walls of the Spellman house. They all heard it, it was as if the laugh was inside their minds. Everyone knew that voice.

Blackwood.

Sabrina looked wide-eyed at her aunt Zelda, she could see the paleness on her face, then, she looked one by one at the confused and terrified faces of the guests. Those who had been eating throw their plates to the floor, all the food set out now looked rotten and covered with worms.

The sound of dishes being thrown to the floor echoed along with the maniacal laughter of the former High Priest.

“What is happening?” someone finally asked.

Sabrina kept her eyes fixed on Zelda. The moment had come. There was no way to hide what was happening anymore.

“There is something I must tell you.” Zelda announced.

* * *

Ambrose looked at the books Sabrina had pulled out of her wardrobe with a reverent look in his dark eyes.

“Unholy shit.” He muttered when he saw them closer.

Sabrina could understand her cousin’s enthusiasm, his thirst for knowledge, and having the possibility of getting his hand on these books was almost like a dream come true for him, she extended the books to him. He took them so carefully, almost as if he were holding a newborn in his arms, one of his fingers tracing the leather cover of the first one of the books.

“I think we should go to the attic to read them, there is less chance that aunt Zelda go up there.”

She nodded, it was the best if they took all the necessary precautions. She didn’t want to have to explain to her aunt why she had books from hell, especially not that night after she’d had to break the news to the coven about Blackwood’s escape. Zelda was in a foul mood, pacing around the parlor with a glass of bourbon in one of her hands and her cigarette holder in the other. Sabrina had lost count of how many cigarettes she had smoked in the short time she had been with her after the guest had left for the Academy accompanied by Mambo Marie.

Now everyone should be alert. Apparently Blackwood would no longer be passive, his breakthrough at her aunt Hilda’s weeding had proved it.

“We better go now.” Ambrose said snapping Sabrina out of her thoughts. She nodded.

Once they were in the attic, after a short stop to check on baby Edward who was sleeping soundly in his cradle, Sabrina and Ambrose sat on the floor, the books in the carpet. She reached out for the first one and Ambrose seconded her.

For hours they were reading, the books felt old even when their pages were in perfect state, Sabrina could feel the energy emanating from them and she wondered if her cousin could feel it too.

“Unholy shit.” Ambrose exclaimed, she looked up at him.

“What’s going on? Did you find something?”

“We are doomed.”

“Ambrose…”

“The Eldritch terrors,” he began to read “are cosmic entities that have the ability to distort reality…”

“We already knew that…” Sabrina interrupted him.

“Let me continue, Sabrina.” He said “They precede the arrival of the Void, the end of all things.”

“What?”

“Blackwood has somehow triggered the end of the world, perhaps the universe as we know it.”

“That’s impossible…”

Ambrose put the book he had just read aside and looked for another book, he scanned the pages until he found another passage with a similar message. Sabrina could feel her own face go pale.

“What are we going to do?” she asked in a whisper.

“Maybe we’re going to need more hellish help than we thought in the first place,” Ambrose said “and I don’t even know if that will be enough.”

“But we have to stop him.”

Her cousin nodded. He knew that, but he didn’t know how they would achieve it.

* * *

“What happened?” was the first thing Nick asked when he saw Prudence’s stricken face in the mirror.

“My father.” Was her reply “He left a _gift_ at Hilda Spellman’s wedding.”

“What did he do? Is everyone okay?” Prudence knew very well that what he really wanted to ask was _Is Sabrina okay?_

“Everyone is fine, but, I’m afraid he is going to attack us soon. He will no longer act passively.”

Nick could get an idea of what Prudence was going to ask him. He took a deep breath to prepare himself.

“You want me to come back.” He said before she was able to ask.

“We are going to need you, you are one of the best warlocks of the coven, as much as it pains me to admit it.” She added with a small grin.

“Oh, Pru, I’m flattered.” He replied sarcastic.

“Do you feel better?” this time there was no trace of irony in her voice, only concern.

He nodded. And it was true, over the months he had managed to reconcile with himself, reconnect with who he was, finding again in what to believe, gaining control over himself. Returning to being… part of who he had been because he now knew very well he would never be the same man that he had once been, not after everything that happened to him.

“I’m doing better.”

Nick knew he was still on the road to recovery, that it would take a lot more to be completely okay, but he had already taken a few good steps forward after hitting bottom more times than necessary. Now he had to move on, face his demons.

“Good.” She replied “Then, will you think about it?”

Nick shook his head. He could see a bit of disappointment on Prudence’s face and was surprised to notice how she was more and more capable of showing her emotions now. It was not an unpleasant change.

“If you need me then I will go back.”

“We need you.” She confirmed “Thanks, Nicky.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” After all, there was not much he had to do, there was only one person he had to say goodbye to in that town lost in the middle of nowhere, only one person he had to thank to.

Prudence nodded.

“I’ll leave you then. See you.”

“I’ll be there soon.” He repeated and was surprised because he didn’t feel that tightness in his chest he used to feel every time he thought about Greendale in the past.

He walked back to the small room and flopped down on the bed, he closed his eyes for an instant, he was going back to Greendale. He was going to see her again, after all those months.

What was he going to do? What was he going to say?

He hadn’t broken up with her because he didn’t love her, heavens he loved her. He had broken up with her because he knew it was unhealthy to hold onto her when he was still so broken, when he felt so unworthy, when he had hurt her so much. But he had not been able to stay away from her, to resist her and then, he had left her behind with a few words and they had not been _I love you_.

Maybe Sabrina Spellman hated him, but he still loved her.

He fell asleep thinking about her.

The next morning, he got ready to leave, after a quick shower he put his belongings in his backpack, paid for his stay and left the inn as he had done so many times before in the last few months, the early morning air, still a little salty even when they weren’t so close to the sea, was revitalizing. He didn’t go to the library, he knew that Demelza would not be there so early in the morning, but he knew where the witch’s small cabin was located, almost on the outskirts of the town, because she had invited him to have dinner with her in more than one occasion.

Nick knocked on the door and waited for her to open it.

“Oh, hello, Nicholas, what brings you here so early in the morning.” She said stepping aside to let him in but Nick stayed outside.

“I came to say goodbye.”

The woman did not show surprise, a small smile appeared on her face wrinkled by the passing of the centuries.

“It was time.” She replied “So, do you think you are ready now?”

He nodded.

“My coven needs me.”

“And she needs you.” Demelza added, a few weeks ago he had finally told her part of his story and she had told him part of hers too.

Nick nodded again.

“I have something for you.” The older woman said and before he could say that it was not necessary, she had already disappeared inside the cabin with an agility that she lacked during the afternoons, she returned with an extremely old looking book in her hands which she handed to him. Nick accepted it, he knew she won’t take a no for answer “I hope it helps.”

“Thank you, you shouldn’t…”

She made a dismissive gesture.

“I’ll be in better hands with you than with me. My time is running out after all, boy…”

He knew it and couldn’t help but feeling a slight pang of sadness at the thought.

“Thank you… for everything.”

He would never find the right words to explain what finding Desmelza's library in the middle of nowhere had meant to him.

“You are more than what happened to you, Nicholas, never forget it.” Desmelza reminded him before saying goodbye. He nodded. He was going to remember it.

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Nicholas.”

Neither of them said _see you soon_ because they both knew they would never see each other again.

* * *

Sabrina wasn’t really paying attention to what the kings and dukes of hell were saying over dinner, her mind was thinking about more pressing matters. She could not get out of her head what she had read about the Eldritch terrors, she knew that she would have to help the other Sabrina, and not just lending her books from hell's library, if what she had read was real, not only Greendale and the witches and mortals that lived there were under threat, but also everyone else, the universe, hell included.

She wondered, looking at her father if maybe she should talk to him, ask him about the terrors. After all, he might know something more about them, something that wasn’t in the books.

“And what do you think, Your Highness?” Asmodeus asked.

“About…?” she asked back.

“We were talking about the meager amount of souls that has been arriving lately.” Beelzebub explained with some sneer in his voice “Have not many deals been made in the last time?”

“That’s none of your business, Beelzebub.”

“Actually, wife, I think…” Caliban started to say but Sabrina looked at him and he stopped talking.

“What did you think, _husband_?” she put special emphasis on the last word. She didn’t like that he called her _wife_ , he had to address her with the due respect, he had to call her queen.

“Nothing, my queen.”

Beelzebub looked at them suspiciously, Sabrina held his gaze with a slightly arched eyebrow, waiting for him to say something to her, she knew the demon was dying to do it but he was not stupid and he would not try anything in front of the rest of the aristocracy.

Laughter was heard echoing in the dining room and Sabrina looked away to see Lucifer raising his glass in her direction in a silent toast.

“I think we’ve already figured out who wears the pants in this marriage, and it’s our queen as it should be, right?”

The rest of the demons laughed with him, Sabrina Morningstar looked pleased and took a sip of her wine to hide her smile, but Beelzebub was not, his eyes were fixed on Caliban who didn’t seem to react to Lucifer’s taunt.

The dinner continued until the last piece of food disappeared from the table and the demons began to leave after saying goodbye to their queen, Sabrina could see how they saw her with new eyes now, how little by little she was gaining their respect.

Soon she won’t need Caliban anymore.

“I must congratulate you, daughter.” Lucifer commented, he had stayed behind hoping to talk to her alone “You’re handling that piece of clay better than I thought.”

Sabrina smirked.

“I told you I would.”

Lucifer nodded. Both were silent for a few seconds, neither knew very well what to say, their relationship continued to be strained to say the least.

“I was reading the other day, father,” she commented, starting to walk out of the dining room. She decided there was no better time than the present “and I found something that caught my attention, I was wondering if you knew anything else about it.”

“About what?” he asked a bit surprised because she wanted to ask him something.

“The Eldritch terrors.” she asked “Do you know anything about them?”

“Where did you read about them?”

Sabrina shrugged, all innocence.

“I was going through some books in the library and I came across the term, it made me feel curious. I’ve never heard of them before.”

“The Eldritch’s terrors are a pretty long topic, if you’re really interested we could talk about them tomorrow.”

The young queen nodded pleased, because if what she had been reading was true, she and Sabrina were going to need all the help they could get.

Maybe even some celestial one.


	15. Coming back to you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry for the delay! Part 4 really wrecked me and I had to take some time off of this fic but now I'm back, well I'm not the only one who is back...

“Well, daughter, what do you want to know?” Lucifer asked looking at Sabrina, he couldn’t help being curious about the fact that she had voluntarily sought for his help, even when it was on such an unpleasant subject.

“Everything.”

“May I ask again why this sudden interest in the Eldritch terrors?”

“I already told you, I was reading and I came upon the term… I’m curious.”

Lucifer looked at his daughter with a slight frown, he could sense that there was something else behind Sabrina’s sudden interest in the subject. He had learned that she didn’t do anything randomly, but he had also learned that he wouldn’t get an answer if he pressed her so he decided to give her what she wanted and wait for the perfect moment to question her.

“What worries you, daughter?”

“Are these… terrors a threat to us?”

“Well, theoretically, they are a threat to the entire universe. The Eldritch terrors are cosmic entities even older than the False God, but they are trapped and there is no way they can be released.”

Sabrina chewed on her lower lip for a second but the movement didn’t go unnoticed by Lucifer.

“But what if… theoretically speaking, of course, someone released these terrors, what would happen? How would we stop them?”

“They can be destroyed, but what must be prevented at all cost is that whoever freed them summons the Void.”

“What is that?”

“It is said that the Void has the power to consume everything. The realms, the universe, nothing can stop it once it’s released, daughter.”

She swallowed hard.

“Something’s wrong with you. You look unusually nervous.” He commented.

“I’m fine. It’s just… I was thinking,” she said getting up from her sit and walking around the room, she needed to move to release some of the nervous energy she felt running through her veins “if a threat like this were ever unleashed, let’s say in the mortal realm… would we help them?”

“I suppose we would have no other choice. As I was telling you, the terrors are not only a threat to the realm where they are unleashed. They are a threat to the entire universe.”

“Even if that meant having to work with the False God?”

Sabrina could see a muscle on Lucifer’s cheek jump at the idea. He took a deep breath.

“Why so many _theoretical_ questions, daughter?”

“Just curiousity.”

“Don’t lie to me.” Lucifer said with his eyes fixed on her face, she tried to look away “I’m the father of lies and I can tell when someone is lying and you are doing it, pretty badly if you allow me to say.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

She didn’t know what to do, telling him what was happening implied revealing not only her secret but also Sabrina Spellman’s secret, but the Eldritch terrors were a real –and bigger– threat to all them. And even when he wasn’t the powerful Dark Lord anymore, her father was still a celestial being, he still could be of some help.

Telling him what was happening also meant revealing her last cards.

But her family, her coven, the whole world needed this new threat to be stop. Nothing else mattered.

Sabrina took a deep breath. She was going to tell Lucifer the truth. Part of it, at least.

“You remember Blackwood, right?”

“How can I forget him and his stupid attempt at the Church of Judas.” Lucifer answered with a snort “But what does he have to do with this conversation?”

“Well, Blackwood…” the queen of hell took another deep breath “he, somehow, released the Eldritch terrors.”

“This is not funny, child.”

“It’s not a joke. It’s true, he did it… a couple of months ago.”

“And why are you telling me just now?”

“The coven in Greendale captured him but he, somehow, escaped.” Sabrina explained, she could see confusion in Lucifer’s face “And that’s not all.”

“There’s still more?”

“He has the Cain’s mark.”

Lucifer remained silent, a memory coming back to his mind. He already knew that. He clenched his fists, fury running through his veins.

“Lilith!” He exclaimed standing up and making the chair fall to the floor.

“What does Lilith have to do with all this?”

“She did. She gave him the mark.”

“Why is she always behind all the bad things that happen?” Sabrina wondered without waiting for an answer.

She could feel the fury radiating in waves from her father’s body, she knew he would only get even more furious when she told him about the other Sabrina existence.

“But how…” he asked, his nostrils flared from his heavy breathing “How are you aware of all this? Have you been going to Greendale?”

She shook her head negatively.

“So how? Speak up, child!”

“Watch your tone, _father_. I’m the queen.” She reminded him.

He shot her a glare but remained silent.

“I know this because Sabrina told me.” Lucifer looked at her confused “There is… another me. In Greendale.”

“What?”

Sabrina sighed.

“You may want to lift you chair. This is going to be a long story.”

* * *

There was something about the air of Greendale that made it different from the air of any other place he had been in. And he had been to many places in the last months.

The wet smell of the moss, the mixed aromas of the woods and the soil and the magic that seemed to linger in the air.

Nick was surprised to be able to breathe deeply now that he was back, in the previous months, when the pain was still raw, he had been unable to do so, always feeling a knot in his throat.

He couldn't believe it, but it felt good to be back home. Because that's what Greendale was after all.

 _Home_.

Although he knew that it wouldn’t be easy to be back. After all, there, the ghosts of the past were just around the corner, waiting for him to show the slightest sign of weakness before attacking again.

And they would try, but this time he was better prepared.

He took the first step towards the train lines that would lead him to the Academy of the Unseen Arts. The building hadn’t changed in the slightest, it still looked like the abandoned train station he left one morning without looking back. It was an empty building for the human eye, but Nick knew the truth, he knew that magic was hidden behind those walls. He went up the entrance stairs two steps at the time, there was no turning back.

Even so, the young warlock stopped in front of the doors for an instant, hesitating about going in or not. Would he still be accepted? He couldn’t help but wonder, could he still be considered part of the coven?

He knew there was only one way to find out. Nick took the handle and opened the door.

The sensation of familiarly that assaulted him was overwhelming and yet there was also something different about the Academy. A sensation of fear, crawling beneath the surface.

Nick adjusted the strap of his backpack, the foyer was empty, silent. He looked at Hecate’s statue, he was so absorbed in observing the three faces of the goddess that at first he didn’t hear the sound of the heels against the floor, when he looked towards the source of the sound he saw Zelda Spellman coming out of one of the corridors, she took a drag from her cigarette staring straight at him before speaking.

“Have you decided to come back to us, Mr. Scratch?” were her first words.

“High Priestess… I…” she lifted her hand to silence him.

“Why don’t we have this conversation in my office, Nicholas?” she asked but Nick knew she wasn’t really asking him, with another drag to her cigarette, Zelda turned around to head back to her office, he followed her a few steps behind.

In the months he had been away, small changes had taken place in the High Priestess’ office, a different lamp here, another painting there. Subtle changes that were beginning to make the office to look more like Zelda Spellman’s and less Faustus Blackwood’s. That was a good change.

“Close the door please, Nicholas.”

He did as the woman requested him and waited for her to talk standing in front of the desk. Zelda took her time, looking at him up and down.

“Why are you back?” she finally asked.

Nick must had suspected the older Spellman wouldn’t beat around the bush, it wasn’t her style after all.

“Prudence called me.” He told her “She said that you might need me because Blackwood had escaped.”

Zelda took a drag of her cigarette but it didn’t go unnoticed by Nick how her hand trembled slightly as she held up her ring cigarette holder.

“Indeed, Blackwood has escaped. And we certainly could use a pair of extra hands in his capture. Especially yours, you’re a gifted warlock, Nicholas.” She replied “So, are you back permanently or…?”

Nick didn’t really know how to answer that question because he hadn't had time yet to think what he would do. Would he stay when everything was over? Or would he leave again?

“I’m staying at least for the time being.” Was his answer.

The High Priestess of the Church of Hecate pursed her lips but said nothing for some seconds.

“Well, you must be tired,” she said, surprised him “I’ll let you settle back in and we can continue our conversation later.” Nick nodded even though he didn’t quite know what she was referring to “Your room is still the same.”

“Thank you, High Priestess.”

She nodded slightly before taking another drag from her cigarette.

 _So he was still part of the coven_ , Nick thought as he left the office and walked towards the hallway.

“Nicholas?”

Nick stopped. He didn’t expect to hear that voice so soon, he knew he was going to see her eventually but he thought he would have some time to prepare to.

“Nick?” she asked again.

He knew he should turn around. He knew he should face her. He knew she surely had some questions and yet, part of him wanted to run out of there without telling her a word.

“Sabrina.” Nick finally replied in a neutral tone, she was still a few steps away from him, in the middle of the hallway, and he appreciated the distance.

“You are back.”

He nodded.

“I’m back.” He confirmed. He could feel the uneasiness in the air.

“Why?”

“Prudence told me what was happening… with Blackwood.”

So it was true, Sabrina thought, Prudence had been talking to him. Her words had been true.

 _Painful_ , but true.

“Well,” he took a deep breath “if you’ll excuse me, I’m a bit tired.” He added before turning to continue on his way but Sabrina wasn’t finished with that conversation. Not yet.

“Why?” she asked again behind his back, making him stop “why did you leave?”

“Sabrina…” he said her name cautiously, Nick knew she would demand an answer but he didn’t know if he wanted to give her one.

“Sabrina, what?” she asked in turn, raising her voice a little “Tell me, Nicholas, why did you leave? Don’t you think you owe me that at least?”

Nick took a deep breath.

“I think you already know that answer.” He replied with a sad half smile on his lips.

Yes, she knew the answer.

“So… why you, why…?” she took a deep breath too, the words she wanted to say unable to leave her lips.

Nick had not been truly aware, but instead of walking away from her as he should, he had moved closer, he could see the glint of the barely contained tears in her warm brown eyes. His thumb caught a tear that tried to slide down her cheek, she held her breath.

“Why did you leave me?” she finally asked looking at him in the eye “After we…”

“I needed to go.” He insisted, removing his hand from her face. Touching her had been a bad idea.

“Why didn’t you let me help you?”

“Sabrina…”

“Why, Nick…? I…”

“No, don’t say it. I needed to go, I needed to find certain answers, I needed to be alone.”

It was the last part that hurt her the most.

She took a step back.

“And did you find them?” Sabrina asked in a somewhat surly tone of voice “these answers you were looking for?”

“Some of them.”

She nodded. Sabrina could feel as if the necklace that was hanging around her neck were burning asking to be recognized, urging her to ask him what it really meant, why he had left it for her. And what happened with them now that he was back, but she remained silent, she still could feel a kind of wall between them.

Something invisible that kept them apart. And it hurt.

A lot.

Suddenly, being in front of him was more than she could tolerate, she couldn’t stay there anymore, she needed to leave as quickly as possible.

“I better go. I have… classes.”

Nick just nodded before letting her go. Sabrina moved forward with quick steps to get away from him as soon as possible, she still looked at him one last time before leaving.

Sabrina knew she had classes to attend but she just didn’t feel able to pay attention to them, what she really wanted to do was to go home, lock herself in her room and not go out for a good couple of hours but her aunt Zelda had been very clear in her instructions. All of them were to stay at the Academy at least during the day and return to the Mortuary together, it was the safest thing to do after all, after what had happened at Hilda’s wedding, the necessary precautions had been taken despite the fact that it had been days without signs of another probable attack.

She entered into one of the classrooms that remained empty during the day, she knew no one would bother her there, also, she didn’t feel like being anyone’s company at the moment.

Nick was back.

She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, that he had returned meant nothing. Suddenly, she felt stupid for still be wearing that necklace, it didn’t mean anything.

So why he left it behind?

She brought her hands to her neck as if she wanted to take it off but was unable to do so. Sabrina closed her eyes for a moment.

Why? Why did he have to come back to turn her world upside down again?

“Why are you back, Nick?” she asked to the empty room and of course got no answer. She wasn’t expecting one.

“Oh, there you are, cousin.” Ambrose’s voice interrupted her thoughts some hours later “I’ve been looking for you.” He added sitting in front of her “You’ve been hiding here the whole day?”

Sabrina reacted immediately.

“I haven’t been hiding.”

Ambrose gave her an incredulous look.

“And what do you call being locked in an empty classroom all day?”

She opened her mouth to reply but fell silent. Her cousin looked at her with a smug smile on his lips.

“I needed to think.” Sabrina finally answered “and I was not locked.”

Ambrose nodded but her eyes told her that he didn’t believe her.

“And this sudden need to… _think_ has something to do with the return of a certain warlock?” he inquired, his dark eyes fixed on her.

“Of course not!” Sabrina’s answer came fast, perhaps, too fast. Ambrose smiled again.

“You are a lousy liar, cousin.”

“I’m not.” She insisted crossing her arms over her chest.

“Sabrina, Sabrina, Sabrina,” Ambrose said clicking his tongue “don’t lie to me. You are here because Nicholas came back.”

She still wasn’t looking at him, her gaze fixed on one of the chairs as if it were one of the most interesting things in the world.

“Look at me, cousin.”

“Can we go?” she asked “I want to go home.” She explained.

Ambrose nodded, knowing very well that he was not going to get his cousin to speak at that moment. He got up from the table he had sat on.

“You know?” he couldn't help saying “You should talk to him, Sabrina.”

“He’s the one who doesn’t want to talk.” She answered standing up as well “I ran into him outside of aunt Zelda’s office.”

“And I thought you were trying to avoid him and it turns out that you two have already seen each other.”

Sabrina shrugged.

“It’s not important.”

Her cousin took her by shoulders, searching with his eyes for her gaze.

“Hey,” Ambrose said “of course it matters, you can’t lie to me, you still have feelings for him and…”

“It doesn’t matter, Ambrose.” Sabrina insisted “I’m not going to impose my feelings on him, he doesn’t want to talk. And that’s fine.”

Ambrose opened his mouth to say something else but Sabrina cut him off.

“You know? You should follow your own advice.”

“What do you mean?” he asked looking at her confused.

“You and Prudence.”

“What does Prudence have to do with all this?”

“C’mon Ambrose, I’ve seen the way you look at each other. Why don’t you talk? Why don’t you sort out whatever it happened between you two?”

“It’s…” he said removing his hands from Sabrina’s shoulders “complicated.”

“I bet it’s not as complicated as what happened between Nicholas and I.”

“You have no idea, cousin.”

“Ambrose?”

“She doesn’t forgive me for not letting her kill Blackwood in Scotland.” He confessed “And I think she is right, look how we are now and in part… it’s my fault. If only…”

“Hey, hey…” she said giving his arm a soft squeeze “You don’t get anything thinking about what it could have been, Ambrose.”

He gave her a significant look but said nothing.

“Let’s go home, cousin.” he said and Sabrina nodded.

* * *

“Auntie Zee isn’t coming tonight either?” Ambrose asked, walking into the kitchen.

“No, she called to say that she would stay at the Academy.” Sabrina answered him setting the table.

“She spends more time there than she does here lately.”

His cousin shrugged.

“She’s busy with the coven, and Blackwood right now.”

“Do you think we should tell her?”

“Tell her what?” Sabrina asked confused.

“What we have found in our research. I think she needs to know.”

Sabrina bit her lower lip, that meant telling her about Sabrina Morningstar and her link to hell as well. And she knew her aunt Zelda would be furious when she found out what she had done. But she didn’t have time to think about it because at that very moment a spiral of hellfire appeared in the middle of the kitchen, when it was extinguished, Sabrina Morningstar, queen of hell, was there. Ambrose stared at her, he had never been with the two of them in the same room before.

“Sabrina? Why are you here?” Sabrina Spellman asked “One of our aunts could have been here!”

“I had to talk to you urgently.” She said taking Sabrina’s hands in hers “Lucifer knows.”

“What?” she exclaimed confused “What does he know?”

“About the terrors, Blackwood… Us.”

Sabrina released her hand’s from the queen of hell grip.

“Did you tell him?” she asked her, her voice sounded hurt.

“I’m sorry. I have to.”

“I cannot believe it. Why did you do such a thing? What are we going to do now?”

“I think we’re going to have to talk to aunt Zelda.” Ambrose said looking at the two Sabrinas.

They bit their bottom lips at the same time, neither of them liked the idea of telling what was happening to Zelda Spellman but they both know they had no other choice.

“I think we have no other choice.” Sabrina Spellman said throwing daggers with her eyes to her double “We better go to the Academy.”

Ambrose nodded, the three held hands and teleported to the Academy.

“Let me go in first.” Ambrose asked them “To prepare the ground.”

Sabrina Spellman and Sabrina Morningstar nodded, Ambrose opened the doors to Zelda’s office, but a quick glance at her aunt’s face told him that she already knew the whole truth. Someone had arrived before them.

“Cousin,” he said “I think you two can come in.”

They entered to the office, Zelda’s eyes widening at the sight of the two Sabrinas.

“What in heaven were you thinking, Sabrina?”

“Auntie Zee…” they said at the same time.

“Don’t auntie Zee me…”

Sabrina Morningstar looked at Sabrina Spellman. She nodded.

“You can be as mad as you want with us, auntie.” Sabrina Spellman said to her “but I think that’s not the point at the moment.”

“Oh, of course it’s important. When is going to be the day you learn that your actions have consequences, Sabrina? When?” Zelda asked raising her voice “And you,” she said looking now at Ambrose “You knew.”

“Auntie…” he tried to say.

“Unbelievable.” She took a drag from her cigarette trying to calm herself down but it was useless “I can’t trust any of you.”

“As much as I love a good family drama,” Lucifer said “I think we have a more pressing problem on our hands right now.”

“Right.” Zelda said straightening her back “Sabrina, Ambrose, we are going to talk later.” She told them and they nodded, they both knew they would not be spared the reprimand “Now we have to focus on finding Blackwood... later we can focus on the punishment my _nieces_ deserve.”


	16. In the middle of the night

Blood dripped from the stone altar in the middle of the forest soaking the ground, candles surrounded the corpse of the once beautiful woman. Now she was just a mass of blood, hair and skin.

Blackwood’s lips and chin were stained with the sacrificial blood. The first step had been completed.

The terror, for which he was nothing but a mere vessel, was satisfied with the sacrifice.

He had promised power and revenge and there was nothing Blackwood wanted more in the world.

A twisted smile curved his lips, the world wouldn’t last much longer. Once he managed to release the Void, it would absorb everything and everyone. Only he would survive because one of the Eldritch terrors was now a part of him.

Blackwood was preparing for the next part of the ritual when he sensed it. It was an almost imperceptible noise of animal footsteps, and if it weren’t for the fact that his senses were sharper now he wouldn’t have noticed it at all.

He smelled the air.

Hellhounds.

Why were hellhounds running around the Greendale woods?

_They are looking for you._

He didn’t understand, why would hell want to intervene in the affairs of the Greendale witches after they had reneged on the Dark Lord? Why would he help them?

 _Leave_.

“But the ritual has not been completed.” Her argued “We are so close.”

 _Leave_ , the voice echoed inside him, _we will continue another day. Not now._

Reluctantly, Blackwood teleported away just as the first hellhound appeared at the edge of the clearing sniffing the air.

* * *

Sabrina Morningstar appeared in Zelda’s office, her aunt seemed unimpressed by the whirlwind of hellfire that preceded her arrival.

“Sabrina?” she asked after taking a drag of her cigarette, her eyes returning to the document she was reading before her arrival. She was still getting used to the idea that now there were two Sabrinas, double trouble.

She was still furious about her niece’s latest madness especially because they still didn’t know which consequences this act could have. Because eventually there would be consequences.

“I got news.” Sabrina said, Zelda lifted her head to look at her, an eyebrow arched “The hellhound found traces of Blackwood in the forest. And I think you should see what they found, auntie Zee.”

Zelda put out her cigarette in the ashtray and stood up from her chair.

“Let’s go.”

Sabrina held out her hand and Zelda took it, in less than a second they were in the clearing. It was a dark night with just a handful of stars in the sky lighting up the place.

“In the name of Hecate, what was this man doing?” the older Spellman asked when she saw the corpse on the stone altar.

“Some kind of ritual…”

Zelda walked to the altar, she looked at the corpse, the candles around, the ground soaked in blood.

“We need to get her to the Mortuary, maybe Ambrose can tell us something after doing a preliminary autopsy.”

Sabrina Morningstar nodded. She looked at the woman too. What Blackwood had done to her it’s horrible.

“Do you know where he went?”

“Apparently he teleported.” Sabrina answered “The hellhounds lost track of him here, but they’re going to keep searching, I doubt he’ll leave Greendale.”

“I doubt it too.”

“What are we going to do, aunt Zelda?”

“Prepare ourselves.” Zelda replied “First, we will leave this poor woman in the Mortuary, then we will meet at the Academy to draw up a plan of action.”

Sabrina nodded.

They checked the place again to see if there was any clue about Blackwood’s whereabouts but everything seemed to point to a hasty escape of the former High Priest.

Sabrina and Zelda teleported to the Mortuary to leave the corpse in the morgue.

“Go find Ambrose and Sabrina,” Zelda asked her “tell them what’s going on. I’ll tell the others and I’ll see you at the Academy in half an hour.”

Sabrina gave a brief nod before going up the stairs, she went first to the attic.

“Ambrose,” she said opening the door without knocking, he was sitting in his desk, his head buried in a book. Her cousin looked up at her.

“Sabrina…?”

“Morningstar.” She felt the need to explain “Blackwood was doing a sort of ritual in the woods, he killed a woman, Ambrose.”

Ambrose was already on his feet.

“Did you bring the corpse?”

“Yes. Aunt Zelda thought you could do a preliminary autopsy before you meet us at the Academy.”

Ambrose nodded, walking out of his room, Sabrina followed him. They went down the stairs together but parted ways went she reached her old bedroom. A wave of nostalgia washing over her as she entered. In the bed, Sabrina Spellman was sleeping, unaware of the events of the night.

“Sabrina,” she said shaking her shoulder lightly “Sabrina, wake up.”

Sabrina Spellman stirred a bit before waking up, blinking slowly before focusing her gaze on her double.

“What are you doing here?” she asked with sleepy voice.

“Aunt Zelda needs us at the Academy.”

“Now? It’s the middle of the night.”

“Yes, the hellhounds tracked down Blackwood.”

“Did they catch him?” she asked sitting up on the bed, sleepiness suddenly gone.

The queen of hell denied.

“No, but we found something else.”

“What?”

“He was doing some kind of ritual.” Sabrina Morningstar told her “Get ready, I’ll meet you at the Academy.” She added before disappearing.

Sabrina Spellman nodded to the empty room before getting out of her bed, she walked to her closet to look for what to wear. Once she was ready, she teleported to the Academy.

She was walking towards the office of her aunt Zelda when passed by Nick and Prudence who apparently were heading to the same place, they stopped.

“Sabrina.”

“Nicholas.” She responded cautiously.

Prudence looked form one to the other before rolling her eyes.

“Can we go? You can save your drama for later, I don’t think the High Priestess will be very pleased with us if we are late.”

“We are not…”

Prudence dismissed her words with a wave of her hand before resuming her walk, Sabrina let out an offended sound but followed her too, she could feel Nick’s gaze on her as she continued walking towards her aunt’s office.

The door was open. Zelda was behind her desk and Hilda was there too, a worried expression on her face. But they were not alone, Sabrina Morningstar was also there. Prudence and Nick stopped, their confused gazes going from one Sabrina to the other.

“What is happening here?” Prudence asked with her eyes fixed on Sabrina Morningstar.

Sabrina Spellman sighed.

“It’s kind of a long story…” she said.

“Well, tell it.” Prudence insisted.

“Now is not the time,” Zelda interrupted “Ambrose will be here any minute, but in the meantime I want to tell you what Sabrina Morningstar,” Sabrina noticed how Nick, at her side, tensed slightly “and I found.”

“Morningstar?” he asked aloud, interrupting Zelda who looked at him annoyed. She didn’t like interruptions “So… you are the queen of hell.”

“Now is not the time, Mr. Scratch.” The High Priestess insisted.

“I am.” Sabrina answered “I’m the queen of hell.”

“But you’re here too,” he added looking at Sabrina Spellman “of course you couldn’t choose. Silly me for believing otherwise.” He said in a harsh tone. Both Sabrinas looked at him. Neither of them would admit that his words hurt them.

“Nick…”

“Enough! You can continue with your teenage drama later,” Zelda told them a bit dazed “now we have more pressing matters to deal with.”

Nick clenched his fists, he really wanted to leave, but he had returned to Greendale to help and he was going to do it so.

He didn't want to think too much about why the fact that there was another Sabrina, who was nothing more and nothing less than the queen of hell, affected him so much.

Zelda closed the doors before she proceeded to tell them what they had found, she was just finishing talking when the doors opened again and Ambrose entered.

“Ambrose,” she said “did you find anything of interest?”

“I don’t know what kind of ritual he was performing but Blackwood left the corpse technically bloodless and… he took out her heart.”

“Don’t you think that he could be…” Sabrina Spellman began “trying to summon the Void?”

“It’s a probability we cannot rule out.” Ambrose said.

“How do we stop him?”

“We have to find him first.” Sabrina Morningstar spoke this time “The hellhounds will continue looking for him and will not rest until they find him.”

“At all cost, we must prevent him from summoning the Void.”

“But how?”

“That’s what we have to find out. And soon.”

* * *

It wasn’t like Nick was openly giving her the cold shoulder, he still acknowledged her presence with a nod or a quick glance when their paths crossed, which happened more often than not now that they were both technically confined within the walls of the Academy but neither of them stopped to talk or even ask how the other was doing.

The tension was almost unbearable.

And it hurt. It hurt to see each other every day, to be so close now and to be unable to touch, to smile to each other. The wall between them only seemed to grow day by day and Sabrina was almost certain Nick hated her.

There was no hope for them and the memories of what they had once been were now extremely painful.

They could never go back to what they once were.

“I don’t know what to do anymore.” Sabrina told to Roz over the phone later one night, she turned around in her bed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling of her room.

“You two haven’t tried to talk?”

“Roz…” she sighed “he doesn’t want to talk to me.”

Specially not after he learned about the other Sabrina.

“And since when a no has stopped you?”

Sabrina, despite everything, smiled.

“What do you really want, ‘Brina?” Roz asked her.

She was silent for a moment.

“’Brina?” her friend insisted when she didn’t answer her question.

“I miss him, Roz.” Sabrina replied “I miss what we had, I miss what we were, but I also know that…” she took a deep breath “I also know that we will never be what we were again. Besides, he is mad at me now, for something I did.”

“What did you do?”

“Something that bothered him.” She answered vaguely, she was not willing to tell Roz the truth, at least not at the moment “I think I hurt him.”

“You should talk to him then, maybe… apologize?”

“But I don’t think I did something wrong.” Sabrina defended herself.

“Then explain your reasons to him, let him understand you.”

“I don’t know, Roz... I don’t think he will listen to me.”

Sabrina looked up when she heard a knock on her door.

“Dinner is ready, cousin.” Ambrose told her. Sabrina nodded.

“I have to go, Roz, dinner is ready. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Just talk to him, ‘Brina and remember, I’m here whenever you need me, girl.”

After saying goodbye to her friend, Sabrina hung up the phone and went down to the kitchen.

If her relationship was somewhat strained with Nick, it was even worse with her aunt Zelda, who barely spoke to her or looked at her since she had found out about the existence of Sabrina Morningstar. At least her aunt Hilda and Dr. Cee were at the Mortuary that night, which helped to relax a bit the tense atmosphere that lingered in the Spellman house. And it certainly improved the quality of the food.

While she ate, Sabrina kept mulling over Roz’s words, wondering if she should take her friend’s advice.

After all, what did she have to lose?

By the time she finished helping her aunt Hilda with the dishes Sabrina had already made up her mind.

She was going to talk with Nick.

“Where are you going, cousin?” Ambrose asked, he was leaning on the stair rail as if waiting for her.

“To my room.” She replied looking at him confused. Her foot on the first step of the stairs.

“Don’t lie to me, you’ve been planning something.” He said and Sabrina was opening her mouth to refute his words but he continued speaking “Don’t even try it, I can see the gears in your head spinning. You’re up to something.”

“I’m not planning anything.”

“You know that’s not true.” He replied with a smug smile “Now tell me, what craziness are you planning to do? I’ll be easier to me to clean the mess if I know in advance.”

“I’m not planning anything crazy.”

“Ah, but you are planning something.” Her cousin insisted pointing her with his finger.

She sighed, he wouldn’t leave her alone until she told him.

“Sometimes I really hate you, Ambrose.”

He only looked at her with an arched eyebrow and a smug smile on his lips.

“If you have to know, I’m going to the Academy. To talk to Nick.”

“Sabrina…” he said in a warning tone.

“What?” she asked. Ambrose closed his eyes for a moment.

“Just listen to him too, will you?”

“Ah?”

“If you’re so determined to talk to him, please listen to him too.” He added giving her a slight squeeze on her arm before disappearing into the parlor without offering more explanations.

She took her foot off the step, Ambrose's words still echoing in her mind… why would he tell her that?

Hadn't she been there for Nick when he needed her? He had been the one who had pushed her away, he was the one who wouldn’t let her get close to him.

She didn't really know what she was hoping to get by going to talk to Nick that night, she just knew she needed to do it. There was no way she could continue to bear the tension between them.

Sabrina said the incantation and teleported to the Academy. She took a deep breath before climbing the steps and opening the front door. A few students still lingered in the foyer and she approached to one of them.

“Hey.”

“Hi, Sabrina.”

“Hi, have you seen Nick?”

“I think he was in the library.”

She nodded.

“Thank you.” She told to the young witch before heading towards the Academy’s library but there was no sign of Nick in there.

Sabrina headed for the wing where the bedrooms were hoping to find Nick in his, she was walking down the hall in direction to his room when she passed Prudence who was walking in the opposite direction. She stopped.

“What are you doing here?” Prudence asked.

Sabrina looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Since when I have to explain myself to you?”

“If you come to see Nick…” she said reading her intentions.

“If I came to see Nick it’s not your business, Prudence.” She answered her before resuming her walk.

“Sabrina, listen to me,” Prudence said taking her by the arm, Sabrina pulled to release herself from her grip “don’t you think you’ve hurt him enough? Leave him alone.”

“Stay out of this, Prudence.”

“Look, he is my friend. I don’t want to see him hurt again.”

“I need to talk to him. And you won’t stop me.” Was Sabrina’s answer, she continued walking and for an instant Prudence thought about holding her back using her magic but she knew that nothing and no one would be able to stop Sabrina Spellman when she got something in her mind.

With a resigned sigh she continued on her way.

But all Sabrina’s bravado vanished when she was in front of the closed door of Nick's room, she waited a few minutes before raising her hand and knocking.

“Sabrina?” Nick couldn’t hide the surprise in his voice when he saw her standing in front of his door “What are you doing here?”

“Nick, we need to talk.”

“Sabrina…” he said her with some reluctance, she could see in his eyes that he wanted nothing more than to close the door.

“Please, Nick.” She asked him with pleading eyes “We owe this to ourselves.”

Nick sighed almost imperceptibly before moving aside to allow her to enter, they knew that what they needed to say couldn’t be say in the hallway.

It was difficult to go back to that room without remembering that the last time they had been there with him he had broken up with her. That still hurt.

“What do you want to talk about, Sabrina?” Nick asked after closing the door.

He didn’t offer her a seat although it was not as if she was going to accept it at the moment, she felt too much nervous energy running through her body to be still.

“You are angry with me.” She said. It was not a question; it was a statement.

“More like I’m disappointed.” Nick admitted looking at her.

“Disappointed?”

“I thought…” Nick run a hand through his hair, messing it up even more “I thought you had realized what was really important. I thought you had chosen your family over... power.”

“And I did!” Sabrina replied “But I couldn’t leave the throne vacant either, not with Caliban trying to transform Earth into the tenth circle of Hell.”

Nick remained silent some seconds thinking about what she had just said.

“How? How did you do it?”

Sabrina took a deep breath.

“I think you better sit down.”

She explained everything to him. It was strangely liberating to tell someone else the truth.

Sabrina told him about how it felt to see her family, her friends... him, lost forever.

“So you see, I did choose. I decided to stay here. With my family, with my friends... with you.”

“Sabrina…”

“I missed you.” She said surprising him by the sudden change of subject “And it hurt me… when you left. It hurt me when you left like that.”

Nick sighed.

“Sabrina, I needed to leave Greendale.”

“Why?”

“You know very well why.”

Sabrina knew what he meant, deep down, she had always known. Nick was still haunted by his time in hell, when he was nothing more than a human prison for her father, he was still haunted by everything that had happened afterwards but he never… had told her. They had never talked about it. Not really.

She went to his side, Nick looked at her without knowing what she was going to do. When Sabrina sat down, she took his hands between hers lacing their fingers.

“Talk to me.” She requested “Tell me everything.”

“You don’t want to hear this…”

“No, you are wrong.” She remembered her cousin’s words, Ambrose was right, she needed to listen him “I want to hear it. I want to know how you feel… I want to understand you, Nick…”

He took a deep breath, Sabrina still held his hands on hers and it felt… _good_. Right.

“When I was in hell, I never knew for sure what was real and what wasn’t. You see, if it wasn’t Lucifer playing with my weaknesses, seeking for an opportunity to break me, it was him torturing me when he realized his tricks wouldn’t work. Fighting for dominance of my own conscience day after day and night after night was exhausting. And then there was Lilith, humiliating me, using me as a plaything, someone on whom to vent her frustrations and anger. And she had years and years of accumulated rage waiting to be repaid.” Nick told her, he closed his eyes for an instant “And of course, there was hell itself who also enjoyed playing with my mind.”

“Nick…”

“When I told you that you were the reason why I was still sane and alive,” he looked into her eyes “I meant it. I really meant it, Sabrina, but they used you against me too.”

He looked down for an instant, his gaze fixed on their joined hands now.

“When I got back, when you save me…” a small smile came to his lips “I didn’t know how to cope with what I was feeling, it was so overwhelming, I didn’t know how to face everything that happened to me. It was too much. And I felt so alone.”

“Nick, but I was there…”

“You were?” He was looking at her and she remembered. She remembered when she wanted to go to him but ¡ went to look for that crown instead. She remembered when she asked him to go to that carnival that night instead of staying at home, holding him, talking to him “I might push you away but you didn’t insist on staying, and now I understand, you had a realm, a coven to save, but at the time? It hurt.”

“I’m sorry.” Sabrina replied “I didn’t know you felt so… lonely.”

He gave her a sad smile.

“You were busy.” He told her in a flat voice, Sabrina felt guilty as she remembered that she had not actually been as present as she would have wanted when he needed her the most.

“I’m sorry, Nick... I...”

“It’s ok, you didn't know what to do, I don’t think anyone knew how to act around me. I didn’t even know how to react to everything that happened to me…”

But that didn’t erase the fact that it hurt him. That it hurt him that no one understood him, that no one offered him a hand, that some had even made fun of what he had suffered.

Nick took a deep breath; it was not worth remembering that. That was in the past. He needed to move forward.

“I left because I wanted to escape from the demons that were chasing me here, but then I realized that those demons weren’t in Greendale but inside me, that I carried them with me wherever I went.” He couldn’t help but caress the skin of her hand with his thumb “My first weeks away from here weren’t the best… I…”

“Is that why you didn’t answer me? When I wrote to you?”

Nick nodded.

“I wanted to do it, really, but… I felt so ashamed of myself for having fallen into the same bad coping mechanisms as before.”

“Nick… No, hey, what it’s important is that you got over that.” She looked for his eyes “Because you did, right?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“It was difficult but yes, I did. I realized that I couldn’t change what had happened to me but… I couldn’t let what happened to define me either.”

“You are so much more than what happened to you…”

He nodded slowly, still a bit doubtfully.

“You are.” She remarked her words giving his hand a soft squeeze.

“Sabrina…” Nick said with a downcast look “I’m sorry I left the way I did, you…”

She shook her head.

“Don’t. There is no need to apologize, you’re here now…”

He lifted their intertwined hands and placed a kiss on her hand. She closed her eyes.

“Nick…” It felt good. The sensation of his lips on her skin, she rested her forehead against his “Don’t push me away again.”

“I won’t.” he replied, his eyes closed “But you have to promise me something… no more secrets between us.”

She nodded.

“No more secrets.”

She pulled away and their eyes met, they just look at each other for some minutes memorizing the features of the other's face. He leaned forward and their lips met.

“I love you.” She whispered against his lips.

Nick looked at her silently, his eyes twinkling with wonder as they did every time he heard her said that she loved him.

“I love you too.”

She snuggled into his arms and he stroked her hair. Nick felt as if a part of his heart, that he didn’t know was lost, returned to its place now that he had her in his arms again.

“It’s late…” He commented later.

Sabrina lifted her face to look at him.

“Can I stay with you?”

Nick nodded, there was nothing he wanted more than to have her in his arms all night after being away from her for so many months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the chapter. There are still about 4 or 6 chapters more before this story ends and I really want to thank you for being here!!


	17. In your arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry about the delay in updating, those who follow me on Tumblr know that I've been sick these last two weeks and therefore I could not write much as I would like.  
> As always, thanks for reading and commenting, I'm still surprised that you liked this, and any actually, of my stories. Hahaha.

Sabrina smiled when she woke up the next morning with Nick’s arms around her, hearing his heartbeat echoing against her ear. She snuggled even closer to him and sighed when he hugged her tighter.

He left a kiss on her forehead.

Minutes later, she lifted her face, resting her chin on his chest, a smile still adorning her lips.

“Good morning.” Sabrina said, her voice still sounded a bit sleepy.

“Morning.” Nick replied, one of his hands moved away from her waist to her arm, drawing circles on her skin.

“Did you sleep well?”

He nodded, his eyes locked with hers.

“I did.” Nick replied with a smile on his lips “I always sleep better with you in my arms.” He confessed.

Sabrina leaned forward to capture his lips with hers in a soft kiss.

At first, the kiss was nothing more than a simple brush of lips but soon they both realized that that wasn’t enough for them. They needed more.

The kiss became more intense.

His hands tangled in her hair bringing her closer to him, his mouth insistent against hers. Sabrina moaned in his mouth when she felt Nick’s hands traveling through her body again, caressing her skin.

And she wanted to feel him too, her hands went underneath his shirt to ran down the skin of his back when he turned them around, he pressed her to the mattress and she gasped.

“Nick…” she sighed his name as his lips slid down her neck.

She wanted… She _wanted_ …

They were breathing heavily when he rested his head on her chest minutes later. Her hands went immediately to his hair, stroking his dark curls.

“We better stop.” He said although his whole being was rebelling at the idea. He wanted her. He needed her, but he also knew it was too soon.

“Yeah…” she replied trying to catch her breath too “I should go home.”

Nick nodded against her neck but neither of them made the slightest attempt to move for a few minutes. None of them wanted to break the bubble they were in, where Blackwood and his terror didn’t exist, where only they mattered. But they knew that was not real.

There were still threats to face. Villains to defeat.

A world to save.

“I’ll see you later.” Sabrina told Nick at the front door of the Academy and he nodded before kissing her goodbye.

“See you later, Spellman.” He replied when she pulled away and Sabrina couldn’t help but pull him back towards her to kiss him again before teleporting back to the Mortuary with the feeling of his lips still over hers.

“You never learn your lesson, huh Nicky?”

“Prudence.” Nick said turning around.

“I don’t understand, after everything she did, you…”

“Sabrina did nothing, Prudence.” He interrupted her.

She just looked at him with an arched brow.

“You went to hell for her.” And despite everything, Nick knew he would do it again if needed. For her he could do anything “And she left you.”

“She didn’t. I was the one who broke up with her.” Nick reminded her.

“You know what I mean, Nicky, I just hope she knows how appreciate you this time.” She told him before walking away.

Nick watched her go without really understanding Prudence’s suddenly protectiveness towards him.

* * *

“Good morning, Ambrose, auntie.” Sabrina greeted them with a smile on her lips as she entered into the kitchen.

“Good morning to you, cousin.” Ambrose answered, leaning back in his chair to look at her “And to what do we owe this exceptional good humor of yours?”

She made a face at him before sitting at the table, at the same time Zelda got up from it without acknowledging her presence and left the kitchen. Her breakfast still untouched.

Sabrina followed her with her eyes.

“Do you think she will ever speak to me again?” she asked to her cousin as she reached for a toast.

“Give her time, cousin.” He answered her pouring her some tea.

“It’s been almost a week now.”

Ambrose shrugged.

“You know how aunt Zelda is. You’re just as stubborn as her after all.”

Sabrina narrowed her eyes at him for an instant.

“I think I should talk to her.” She told him standing up from the table but Ambrose stopped her holding her arm.

“First, eat your breakfast, then you can go talk to aunt Zelda.”

“Ambrose…”

“Breakfast first.” He insisted and with a resigned sigh Sabrina sat back down. Her cousin smiled at her “Also, you still have to tell me how it went your conversation with Nicholas last night, but I can get an idea by the fact that you didn’t come back to the Mortuary last night.”

Sabrina felt her cheeks color a little as she remembered the intensity of the kisses Nick and her had shared that morning.

Ambrose was waiting for an answer.

“We talked. We really talked… about what happened when he was in hell and afterwards. And I told him what happened, when I traveled in time.”

“So… you told him everything?”

“I did.”

“And I suppose things are fine between you two now?”

Sabrina, who had just taken a sip of her tea, nodded.

“Then, I think we’ll see Nicholas more often around here now.”

She smiled a bit before taking another sip of her tea.

* * *

Sabrina knocked on the door of Zelda’s office and waited.

“Come in.” she heard her aunt say from inside.

With one last deep breath, she opened the door and walked into the office. Zelda looked up to see who it was.

“Ah, it’s you.” She said before turning her gaze back to the document she had been reading.

“Auntie Zee…” Sabrina called her with pleading voice.

“What do you want…?” her aunt stopped and looked up again “which one of the two Sabrinas are you by the way?”

“Auntie Zee, please. I’m sorry.”

“Not everything can be solved with an _‘I’m sorry’_ , Sabrina. What you did could have had catastrophic consequences to all us, actually we still don’t know what consequences it could have.”

“It looked like the best option at the time.”

“Don’t lie to me, Sabrina. You didn’t want to choose, that’s why you did it.”

“No, that’s not true.” Sabrina replied “But I didn’t have much choice either, I… I saw what would have happened if I let Caliban get the crown. The pagans would have conquered the Earth and all of you would have been gone forever,” she took a deep breath to control her emotions “after living that there was no way I could stay in Hell and never see you again, but it wasn’t an option to let Caliban or Lucifer reign either.”

“So you thought the best option was to divide yourself in two, right?”

“I didn’t divide myself in two, I just didn’t close the loop.”

“You know that this is going to have consequences eventually, right Sabrina?”

“Nothing has happened, auntie. It’s been months.”

“And it could be years, but everything has a price, there is always a price to pay to keep balance, you should have already learned that.”

“I’m sorry.” Sabrina insisted.

Zelda closed her eyes, a sigh left her lips.

“What hurts me the most is knowing that you don't trust me. You don’t trust us.”

“I do trust you, auntie.”

“It doesn’t look like it.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again “but at the time I did what I thought was the best for everyone.”

“For everyone or for you?”

Zelda’s words were like a blow to her stomach.

“Auntie…” she asked in a broken voice.

“Sometimes I don’t know you, Sabrina.”

“I did it because I didn’t want to lose you. You, aunt Hilda, and Ambrose and Salem, my friends, Nick… I didn’t want to lose any of you. Not after having lived what it felt like to live in a world without you.” Sabrina could feel tears threatening to fall from her eyes at the memories.

Zelda sighed again before getting up from her sit behind her desk, she walked to Sabrina’s side. She put her hands on her niece’s shoulders. Her resistance shattering when she saw her niece so broken, so sad.

“I didn’t want to lose the people I love…” Sabrina insisted looking up to see her aunt “I made many mistakes, I know, for that throne I hurt people I love, I lied to you, auntie. But I realized what was really important and that’s why I chose to stay… it may have not been the best solution but… it was the only one I had.”

“Sabrina…” Zelda said her name tenderly, opening her arms for her and Sabrina took refuge in them.

“I’m so sorry, auntie.” She insisted against her aunt’s shoulder, tears falling from her eyes “I’m so sorry.”

Zelda stroked her hair.

“It’s ok, Sabrina. But you have to promise me, no more secrets, no more lies.” Her aunt asked her.

“No more secrets.” She promised her “No more lies.”

And she was going to do everything in her power to fulfill that promise.

* * *

Sabrina Morningstar was running her hand over the spines of the books on one of the last shelves of the infernal library. She was worried, the hellhounds still couldn't catch Blackwood, because every time they managed to find his trail he disappeared. It was frustrating.

Suddenly, she heard the door being open. Something inside her told her that it would be better not to make her presence known to the newcomers, at least not for now.

Hearing the voice of who had just arrived only confirmed her suspicions.

“What are you doing, boy?” Beelzebub asked angrily.

Sabrina peeked around the shelf to look at Caliban and the lord of the flies. She could tell he was furious.

“You don’t have anything to say?”

“What do you want me to say?” Caliban asked back and Beelzebub looked at him confused.

“She did something to you, didn’t she?” he approached to him, his gaze fixed on the prince’s eyes “Ahh… Of course she did.”

“What are you implying, Beelzebub?” Sabrina was the one who spoke this time, stepping out from behind the shelf, her arms crossed over her chest and one of her eyebrows raised.

“My queen.” Her husband bowed briefly and Beelzebub reluctantly had to do the same as well.

“Are you accusing me of something, Beelzebub?” Sabrina insisted approaching to them.

“No, my queen. I would never dare to do such a thing.”

Sabrina raised her eyebrow even higher, her lips pursed. She didn’t believe a single word that came out of his mouth. She was well aware that he hated her, that Beelzebub would like Caliban to be the king and seeing him now reduced to nothing more than some kind of puppet of her will must be a very hard blow to him.

“Husband, come with me.” She said heading to the door. Caliban followed her immediately.

“Damn witch.” Beelzebub muttered under his breath.

The queen of hell turned around, her gaze dripping with hatred.

“Did you say something?” she asked even though she had heard his words, she wanted to know if the demon would dare to repeat the offense in her face.

“I didn’t say anything, my queen.”

Sabrina nodded towards him before leaving the library.

“What am I going to do with you, husband?” Sabrina asked Caliban without really expecting an answer “You’ve been helpful, but you’re starting to be a bother too.”

Caliban looked at her as if he didn’t understand her words.

“How does a tour through the circles of hell sounds? You could go on an official visit on my behalf, see that everything runs smoothly.” Sabrina asked with a fake smile on her lips “What do you think?”

“Whatever pleases you, my queen.”

“Excellent! You are leaving tomorrow then.” She told him.

And it wouldn’t be a bad thing if an accident happened on the road. Now, the aristocracy of hell respected her, feared her, they had observed her power and seen how she could be relentless when required. Caliban had no use to her now.

And once he was out of the picture she just had to figure out what to do with Lucifer.

* * *

Sabrina was looking at the statue of Hecate, raising a silent prayer of thanks to the Dark Mother when she felt two arms hugging her by the waist. She smiled because she knew very well who those arms belonged to.

Nick.

“What are you doing?” he asked her, resting his chin on one of her shoulder, his breath on her neck made her feel a pleasant tingling in her entire body.

“Just praying.” She answered leaning a little against his chest. Sabrina turned her face to give him a brief kiss on the cheek.

“Asking for something?”

“Actually, thanking Hecate.” Nick’s arms hugged her a little closer.

They stood in front of the statue in silence for a few minutes while Sabrina finished her prayer.

“Do you want to go to my house for dinner?” Sabrina asked when she opened her eyes “My aunt Hilda is cooking today.” She added with a smile.

“That’s certainly tempting.” Nick replied with an amused smile on his lips.

Sabrina turned her face to kiss him on the lips.

“Let’s go then.”

She would have liked to walk to the Mortuary like they used to do in the past but with the threat of Blackwood still over their heads, Zelda had been very clear about how they should limit their outgoings to the minimum and always prefer to teleport rather than walk.

“Aunt Hilda?” Sabrina called once she opened the front door.

“In the kitchen, honey!” her aunt replied.

Sabrina took Nick’s hand and lead him to the kitchen.

“Oh, hi, sweetie.” Hilda, who was stirring a pot on the stove, greeted her. She stopped when she saw that her niece wasn’t alone. Surprise taking over her features “Nicholas, hi.”

“I hope you don’t mind but I invited Nick to dinner.” Sabrina explained.

Hilda looked at their joined hands.

“Of course there is no problem.” Hilda said with a smile “The more the merrier.”

“Do you need help with something? Maybe we can set the table…?”

“That would be lovely, dear. We’ll be having dinner in the dining room tonight.” Hilda added returning her attention to the pot on the stove.

Before Nick and Sabrina left the kitchen the cry of a baby was heard.

“Is that a baby?” Nick asked confused.

“That must be little Edward who woke up hungry from his nap.” Hilda said, leaving the spoon she had been using over the oven.

Nick looked confused from one Spellman woman to the other.

“I’m going to see him. Sabrina, could you warm a bottle for him?”

“Sure, auntie.” She said to Hilda before she left the kitchen.

“Spellman, why there is a baby here?”

She bit her lower lip as she searched the refrigerator for the goat’s milk they kept there for Edward. She didn’t want to lie to Nick, not when their relationship was still in such a fragile condition but she was also afraid of his reaction when he found out who were the parents of the baby.

Sabrina let out the air of her lungs.

“Sabrina Morningstar brought him.” She said quietly “But my aunts don’t know that.” And that was something she should fix soon.

“Is it… _hers_?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“What?” Sabrina shook her head “No, no. Edward is…” she hesitated for a moment “he is Lilith’s son.”

“And let me guess who the father is.” He said with a tone of voice she couldn’t quite recognize.

“Nick…” She reached out to touch his arm but then Hilda walked into the kitchen with a crying Edward in her arms.

“Is the bottle ready?”

“In a moment.” Sabrina replied while she went to get a clean bottle from the cabinet, she poured some milk into it and with a simple spell warmed it to the perfect temperature “Here you go, auntie.”

“Thank you, dear.”

Noticing Nick’s discomfort, Sabrina took his arm, she felt his tense muscles under her hand.

“We’re going to set the table.” She told Hilda and she didn’t wait for an answer before dragging Nick out of the kitchen, neither of them spoke until they were in the dining room “Nick, are you ok?” she asked looking into his eyes.

He closed his for an instant.

“If you are not comfortable, if you want to go… I…”

“I’m fine, Spellman.” He replied to her opening his eyes “That baby is not to blame for having such monsters as parents.”

Sabrina nodded. Nick took a deep breath.

“She did well in bring him here, your aunts are going to raise him well.”

“They will.” She answered, wrapping her arms around his neck, his went to her waist “Are you sure you’re ok?”

Nick nodded and Sabrina leaned forward to give him a peck on the lips.

“We better set the table then.” She said and he smiled.

It was good to have dinner again without feeling the tension that had invaded the Spellmans’ table the previous days when her aunt Zelda wasn’t talking to her, but Sabrina also knew that to maintain that peace she had to tell her aunts the truth about Edward’s origin.

Nick sensing her slight discomfort during dinner gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She smiled at him.

“Aunt Hilda, aunt Zelda, can we talk?” Sabrina said to them entering the kitchen with the last plates from the dining room.

“Is something wrong, honey?” Hilda asked drying her hands with a kitchen towel.

“I need to tell you something.” She said leaving the plates on the table.

Her aunts looked at her expectantly.

“I think you might want to sit down.”

Zelda, who was leaning on one of the kitchen counters smoking, looked at her with a raised eyebrow before going to the table. Hilda put down the towel and went to sit as well.

“What is happening, love?”

“I need to tell you something… about Edward.”

Her aunts looked at her confused.

“What happens with him?” Zelda asked.

“I…” Sabrina took a deep breath “I know who left him on our doorstep.”

“How is that possible?”

“Why didn’t you tell us anything before, Sabrina?”

“Because she made me promise not to.” She explained “But I also promised you there would be no more secrets between us, auntie Zee and I want to keep that promise.”

Zelda nodded.

“Tell us, who left Edward here?”

“Sabrina Morningstar.” Sabrina explained “Edward is… he’s the son of Lilith and Lucifer. He’s my half-brother.”

“Dear Hecate.” Hilda exclaimed, she brought a hand to her chest “Poor creature.”

Zelda took a drag on her cigarette before speaking.

“I can’t say I don’t support what she did.” She said, she had done something similar once when she took baby Leticia away from Blackwood in order to protect her although things hadn’t turned out well that time. She stood up “Thank you for trusting in us, Sabrina. And don’t worry, this doesn’t change anything. We’ll keep taking care of him, Hecate knows that poor boy doesn’t deserve to have such parents.”

“Thank you, aunties. And I’m sorry, for not telling you before.”

“The important thing is that you are telling us now, love.” Hilda told Sabrina looking at her with warm eyes.

“And speaking of telling us things… So, you and Nicholas are back together, huh?” Zelda said.

A small smile adorned Sabrina’s lips when she nodded.

“We are.”

“That’s wonderful news, honey. Are you happy?”

“I am, aunties.”

“And I suppose he is staying tonight.” Zelda said as she took another drag from her cigarette. Sabrina didn’t say anything but she felt her cheeks burn slightly “Just don’t be too loud, could you?”

“Auntie!” Sabrina said realizing what her aunt meant, almost at the same time Hilda exclaimed scandalized “Zelda!”

The older Spellman shrugged “What?”

Hilda was looking at her with wide eyes.

“Oh, Hildy, please, we’re not going to have this conversation again. Sabrina is a young woman, it’s perfectly normal for her to want to…”

“Zelda!” Hilda cut her off.

“Aunties, please…” Sabrina insisted, her cheeks flushed “Can we stop discussing my sex life in the kitchen?”

“Oh, what did I miss?” Ambrose asked entering “Wait, there is a _sex life_ to discuss at all? I knew it!”

Sabrina groaned.

“Just what I needed.” Sabrina said staring at the ceiling, she turned her gaze back to her family, despise her embarrassment a smile was struggling to appear on her lips “You know I love you, but sometimes you guys are unbearable.” She told them before leaving the kitchen.

Nick was in her room, looking at some photos of her and her friends on her wall when she entered the room, a smile appeared on her lips.

“Hey.” She said softly, entering and closing the door behind her.

“Hey.” He replied “Did you talk to your aunts?”

Sabrina nodded, leaning her back against the door “I did.”

“How did they take it?”

“Surprisingly well actually.” She replied “How are you? Are you sure you’re ok with all this?”

He walked towards her and brought his hands up to her face to look into her eyes.

“I’m fine, Spellman.” His thumbs caressed her cheeks before leaning in to give her a brief kiss.

“Will you stay here tonight?” Sabrina asked him when they broke apart.

“Do you want me to stay?” she nodded and he smiled softly at her “I’ll stay then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have only three chapters left of this story... And I hope to be able to update weekly from now on.   
> Let me know what you think about this one.


	18. Something lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder, this is "M" for a reason, so if you don't feel comfortable with that kind of stuff skip the scene after the second cut.

Prudence set the chandelier she was holding on the floor of the witches’ cell. It was dark and wet inside. She could smell the moss that covered the stones, felt the cold wind that filtered through them.

She had been there repeatedly since her father had escaped and yet, she always came back, thinking that maybe, just maybe, there was some clue she had not seen the last time, a detail that she had missed and that would guide them to wherever Blackwood was hiding.

But she always came back empty handed. And the situation was beginning to be truly frustrating.

She just wanted to see him dead, even if she didn’t know how they were going to achieve that.

“Prudence.”

She turned around with a sigh, Ambrose Spellman was on the threshold of the cell looking at her with warm eyes. Something shifted inside her.

“Ambrose, what are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you.”

She looked at him without knowing very well what to say, she had an idea about what he wanted to talk about and the witch didn’t want to have that conversation. At least not now.

“Ambrose…” her tone was cautious.

“Prudence, please…” he asked her “I can’t keep doing this.”

“Doing what?” she asked in turn crossing her arms over her chest in a clearly defensive posture.

“I can’t keep denying what’s between us.”

“There is nothing between us, Ambrose.”

“I have feelings for you, Prudence, and I know you also have feeling for me…” she opened her mouth to deny his words but he cut her off “Let’s not fool ourselves.”

She sighed.

“Even if that were the case, Ambrose, _we_ cannot be…”

“Why not?” he questioned, walking closer to her, she walked backwards to maintain the distance between them. Ambrose tried to hide the hurt in his eyes.

“I can’t help but think that everything that is happening now could have been prevented if you only…”

“Prudence… I’m sorry. I never thought…”

“What’s done, it’s done. We can’t change it now; we must face the consequences.”

“You will never forgive me.” His voice sounded defeated.

“I don’t know, Ambrose. Give me time.”

He nodded. Prudence picked up the chandelier and left the cell, leaving him in the dark.

* * *

Sabrina Morningstar felt exhausted after a long day holding audiences and more audiences to solve petty disputes between some members of the aristocracy and punishing souls –which was definitely more important to her than making a demon apologize for something he had said while drunk at a party she hadn’t even bothered to attend in the first place.

She rubbed her eyes while trying to suppress a yawn before refocusing her gaze on the book in front of her.

Even after long hours of study she still couldn’t believe she kept coming out empty-handed.

How was it possible that in a library as big and old as the Infernal wouldn’t be a single book with the solution to the dilemma they had in hand?

The queen of hell suppressed a grunt of frustration before closing the book and set it aside. It was useless. She got up and went to walk around the shelves to look for another one.

Maybe she wasn’t looking in the right place. But where was the right place?

She had no idea.

Sabrina looked at the shiny leather covers of the books arranged in the shelves, their colors were spectacular, their subjects a bit sinister. But neither of them was the _one_. Neither of them had the answers she so desperately needed.

Until she saw it.

The book was so eye-catching that she didn’t know how she hadn’t notice it before. It was not as shiny and elegant as the others, the cover looked older, it color had faded with the time, and there was something in it, a strange pulse that drew her to it.

With a simple spell she called upon the book from its place atop the shelf into her expectant hands. Sabrina touched the old cover, her fingers trailing the crevices where the name had once been written. The passing of the years, centuries even, had erased it and she was unable to recognize all the letters once engraved there.

She walked back to the table and opened the book before sitting down again to start looking through the book.

At first, she thought she was just being delusional, the book didn’t say anything she hadn’t read before about the Eldritch terrors, she was about to close it and return it to its place on the shelf when a word captured her interest.

Her eyes scanned the page, reading each word, trying to understand its meaning. She read it once, twice.

Minutes later, Sabrina closed the book and put her hands over it. Now she knew what to do in order to destroy once and for all the threat Blackwood and his terror posed for Greendale and the realms.

Some sacrifices had to be made.

And, deep down, she knew it had to be her who made them.

It was her duty. She was a queen after all. She had a realm to protect, but she also wanted to protect the family and the friends she had left behind.

* * *

Nick could notice something different about Sabrina’s kisses that morning, an urgency that hadn’t been there before. He moaned into her mouth as she ran her nails over the skin of his back.

Sabrina tilted her head as his lips began to slide down her neck, he peeled the strap of her camisole off her shoulder and she gasped as his tongue traced the line of her collarbone.

“Nick…” she breathed out his name.

“Mmm?” he hummed against her skin, a shiver ran through her.

She brought her hands up to his face and sought his gaze with hers.

Sabrina stroked his cheeks and he leaned against the warmth of her palms, they were both breathing heavily, the distance between their bodies almost non-existent.

“I love you, Nick… I love you so much.” She said lowering one of her hands from his cheek, touching his neck, his chest “and I want you. I want you so much.”

He leaned down to kiss her, it was a slow kiss full of desire. He wanted her too, she could tell by the way his hands held her thigh, by the way his mouth moved eagerly against hers.

The memory of their night together had haunted him all those months they had been apart, when he thought he would never have her back in his arms again. Would never be able to kiss her again. To touch her again.

“I love you too.” He replied, his thumb trailing the line of Sabrina’s lower lip, she opened her mouth in a silent moan “And don’t doubt even for a second how much I want you, but maybe… we should slow down.”

She looked at his eyes before wrapping her legs around his waist, pulling him even closer to her. A brief moan escaped from his lips.

“Sabrina…”

“I don’t want to slow down.” She told him “I want you, I want this. Now.”

He couldn’t do more than kiss her, his lips insistent against hers. His hands ran up her sides lifting her camisole up to remove it from her, he looked at her almost reverentially, half naked and bathed in the sunlight that filtered through the window. His head lowered to her chest and he took her nipple into his mouth, Sabrina arched her back, her fingers went to Nick’s hair, tangling in his dark curls. He rolled his tongue around the hard tip and she gasped.

“Lower.” She asked minutes later. The need palpable in her voice “Lower.”

And he complied, his lips moved down her abdomen, she held her breath when they reached her lace panties. She had missed his touch, his mouth on her.

With almost excruciating slowness Nick started to pull her panties down her legs and then his mouth was back between her legs, Sabrina gasped, her hand gripping the sheets as the sensations became too intense.

“Nick...” she said his name in a breathless moan as she arched her back.

He went up her body peppering kisses on her skin, he hovered over her and Sabrina claimed his lips, tasting herself in his mouth, her hands running over his body, taking off his boxers. She wanted to feel him, all him, against her naked skin again.

She pushed him gently, telling him without words what she wanted. Nick rolled them over and she sat astride on his hips, she leaned down to kiss him and when she pulled apart one of her finger followed the curve of his lips. Her hands went down his neck, his chest, his abdomen, Nick’s breath caught in his throat as she took him in her hand, he threw his head back against the pillows as she touched him.

“I need to be inside you.” He told her, his hand over hers stopping her movements, their lips barely touching.

“I need you too.” She answered, her hand went to her belly and quickly murmured the contraceptive spell before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.

She got up on her knees to position herself over him and then moaned loudly when she slid down his length, receiving him inside her.

Nick’s hands gripped her thighs as she rocked against him, she moved again, adjusting herself to the position. At first her movements were slow, enjoying the feeling of having him inside again, the connection. She had missed him so badly. She need him, _all_ him, her movements became faster, his thrusts less delicate.

There was a frenzy in their movements, a need that only seemed to grow with each new thrust, with each moan, with each kiss.

“Nick…”

“Sabrina…” his hand caressed her face, her hair, she exposed her neck to him and he nipped her delicate skin.

Her nails dug in his shoulders as she came. He continued moving until he found his own release, her name falling from his lips.

They fell into bed in a tangle of limbs, their hearts pounding.

Sabrina raised her head, her lips meeting Nick’s in a slow, deep kiss. He stroked her face, her hair before his arms encircled her.

“I wish we could stay here forever.” She said, her finger drawing circles on his chest. She had said those words before.

Nick sighed. He wished the same but he couldn’t promise her that, not yet.

“I love you.” Nick answered kissing her forehead.

* * *

The sun was setting, Nick and Sabrina were on the Mortuary porch after dinner, his arms around her, both looking out into the woods beyond the Spellmans’ grounds, neither of them had noticed that they were being watched by someone else.

He kissed her hair and she leaned against his chest with a small smile on her red lips.

Sabrina Morningstar didn’t know very well how to describe what she felt looking at them, it was not exactly jealousy, it was more like a feeling of emptiness in the pit of her stomach, a longing for something long lost. Something that she would never be able to recover.

She cleared her throat to make her presence known.

“Sabrina, Nick.” She greeted them when they looked in her direction.

“Sabrina, hi, did something happen?” Sabrina Spellman asked walking towards her.

“Is aunt Zelda at home?” the other Sabrina asked instead.

She nodded “She’s in the study.”

“I think we should go inside, what I have to talk to her will also interest you.”

They nodded and the three entered to the house.

“Sabrina,” the queen of hell said “could you tell Ambrose to come too?”

She noticed some hesitation in her but Nick gave her a small smile and Sabrina nodded before letting go of his hand and going up the stairs to look for her cousin. Nick and the queen of hell stood in front of the stairs, neither of them sure about what to do or say.

“We should go to the study.” Sabrina Morningstar said before starting to walk.

“Sabrina…?” Nick called her and she stopped to look at him questioningly “I want to tell you something.”

Sabrina looked at him and waited.

“I… I’m sorry.”

“You are sorry?” She asked confused and he nodded.

“I know I hurt you the other day with what I said.”

“It’s ok, Nick. Seriously. I understand your reaction.”

“You do?”

Sabrina nodded. She knew that her accepting the crown after he had sacrificed himself to prevent it in the first place was something that still hurt him. Even when she was not the Sabrina he loved.

“I’m sorry too.” She said before resuming her walk to Zelda’s study. Once she reached the door she knocked.

“Come in.”

Zelda was sitting at her desk, her signature cigarette ring holder in one of her hands, at her side and with one of her hands on her shoulder was Mambo Marie who didn’t seem surprised to see her, surely her aunt had already told her about her existence.

“Sabrina?” her aunt inquired “Is there any news regarding Blackwood?”

“Not exactly, but I have something you should hear. Sabrina already went for Ambrose.” The words had barely left her lips when her cousin, Sabrina and Nick entered in the room.

The older Spellman urged her to speak with her gaze. Sabrina Morningstar took a deep breath.

“I have a plan.” She said to them

“What’s the plan?” Ambrose asked.

“We already know Blackwood has the mark of Cain, which technically makes him immortal.” Zelda nodded without understanding very well where the queen of hell wanted to go with her words “Well, there is a way to kill an immortal being.”

“Wait…” Sabrina Spellman said, stepping forward “Are you talking about…?”

Sabrina Morningstar cut her off with a nod.

“The spear of Longinus.” She answered making it appear between her hands before the stunned gaze of the others.

“But… how?”

“It was in hell. All this time it was there.”

“So we can kill Blackwood with it, but… how do we get rid of the terror?”

“The Eldritch terror is a cosmic entity and we alone will not be able to stop it. We need help from others…”

“Others?”

“We will need the energy from the three realms.” Sabrina Morningstar announced “We need a celestial to perform a ritual to destroy the terror.”

“And how will we get that help?” Zelda asked in turn, she doubted the angels of the False God were willing to help them just because.

“We are going to summon an angel willing to help us.”

“And what makes you think an angel will help us, Sabrina?”

“The Eldritch terror is not only a threat for us,” this time it was Ambrose who replied “the celestial realm will also be threatened if we cannot stop it soon.”

“And, how do we do it?”

“Leave that to me. I’ll summon the angel.” The queen of hell replied “But I need you all to be ready at dawn.”

They nodded and the reunion soon ended, when they were leaving the room, Sabrina Morningstar gestured for Sabrina Spellman to come closer to her.

“Sabrina?” she asked her “I need to talk to you.”

She looked at her, expecting her to speak but her double remained silent.

“Not here, can we go out?”

She nodded, a bit confused by her attitude but followed anyway and they went out onto the porch.

“Something happens?”

The queen took a deep breath before speaking.

“I want you to have the spear.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you are the right person to use it.” Her infernal counterpart said offering the spear to her “Besides, it will be safer with you.”

Sabrina looked at her with a frown, something inside her telling her that Sabrina Morningstar knew more than she was telling them.

“Something _is_ happening.”

“Nothing is happening.” The queen assured her, urging her to take the spear with her gaze. Sabrina took it “The spear is enchanted, put it in your pocked ant it will adapt to it size, when you take it out it will return to its original size. I know you can use it as it should be.”

“Why me?” Sabrina insisted.

Sabrina Morningstar put her hands in Sabrina’s shoulders. She searched her gaze with her eyes. It was strange, but even though their eyes were exactly the same there was something in the queen’s that was different and Sabrina couldn’t identify what it was. Sadness, maybe.

“We both know this is your battle.”

She wanted to tell her no, that it was _their_ battle but deep down, she knew. Sabrina nodded slowly.

“Now go to rest, Sabrina. By the time the sun rises tomorrow everything will be over.” Sabrina Morningstar told her, lowering her hands from her shoulders after a gentle squeeze. She walked towards the stairs.

“Can I help?” She asked, the queen turned, a sad smile on her lips when she shook her head.

“I know what I have to do.” She answered “Go inside, get some rest.”

A sense of dread settled deep in Sabrina Spellman’s stomach as she watched the queen of hell descend the stairs. She watched her disappear in a whirlwind of hellfire.

She looked back at the spear in her hands.

“Babe?” she heard Nick say behind her back “is everything ok?”

Sabrina turned and nodded, the spear still in her hands. Nick looked at her questioningly.

“Sabrina wanted to give me the spear, she thinks it should be me who…”

He nodded understanding what she meant. She put the spear in her pocket, just as her double had told her, the spear adapted to it size. When Nick moved closer to her she couldn’t help wrapping her arms around him.

“What’s going on?” he insisted, his lips on her hair.

“I don’t know…” she confessed “I’m a bit scared.” She added softly.

Nick pulled away a little to look at her face.

“We are going to get through this, Spellman.” She nodded but her gaze was still somewhat absent “Sabrina?”

“Do you think this is really going to end?”

He caressed her cheek before nodding.

“Last time we thought the same and… somehow, Blackwood escaped.” Sabrina insisted, the feeling of dread taking over her.

“But this time we have weapons and allies we didn’t have the first time.”

“But do you think she will get it? Get the help of an angel?”

Nick gave her a brief kiss on the forehead.

“She’s just like you,” he said when he pulled away, Sabrina still had her eyes closed enjoying the feeling of his lips on her skin “she won’t stop at anything.”

* * *

Sabrina Morningstar felt the edge of the knife against her skin and winced, she clenched her hand into a fist letting the blood fall on the moonlit rock.

She waited for some being to respond to the call of her celestial blood. To her pray for help.

And waited.

The lightning that preceded the arrival of the celestial being made her close her eyes for an instant, the light too blinding. She knew immediately that she was not in front of an angel like the ones that had attacked the Academy months ago. There was a brilliance in the slightly feminine features of this celestial being, in its long hair and shiny silver wings. In the delicate turquoise robe it wore.

“Haniel.” Sabrina saluted, familiar with the angelic hierarchy after long hours of study in the infernal library.

“The Morningstar’s child.” The archangel replied “I must admit that your call made me curious, why would someone like you be summoning a celestial being?”

“I need your help.”

“My help?” there was confusion in the beautiful features of the archangel “Why would you need my help?”

“The Eldritch terrors. Someone released one of them and we need to stop him. We cannot do it without the help of a celestial being.” Sabrina replied, seeing the doubt on the archangel’s face, she added “You know that it is not only a threat to this realm, but to all the realms. The terror won’t be satisfied with just the mortals.”

“I’m well aware of what you are talking about, Morningstar. But… are you aware of what will have to be done to achieve it? To destroy this terror?”

The queen of hell nodded. She had found the ritual in the old book, a book she hadn’t shared with either Ambrose or her double because she knew that if Sabrina Spellman found out what should be done to stop the terror she would try to stop her or worse, she would try to do it instead. And she was not going to allow that to happen.

“Are you going to help us?”

The archangel fixed it gaze on Sabrina’s brown eyes, it was as if it could read what she had deep within her soul.

“You want to redeem your soul.” Haniel said “But, why?”

“Are you going to help us?” Sabrina insisted.

The celestial being rose to its full height, its beauty was otherworldly, awe-inspiring and after having spent so many months surrounded by hideous demons and suffering it left Sabrina breathless.

“I’m going to help you, Morningstar.” The archangel replied.

* * *

No one could sleep that night, so they waited for the dawn in the parlor together. Hilda, as always, was in charge of providing cups of tea and coffee for everyone, she even come up with some cookies that no one touched, too nervous to feel hungry. Everyone waited, attentive to every sound, for the arrival of Sabrina Morningstar.

But the hours of the clock were ticking and there was no sign of the queen of hell.

Sabrina was sitting next to Nick the whole night, her head resting on his shoulder, his arm over hers, a blanket over their laps. She didn’t lose sight of her aunt Zelda, who was pacing from one side of the room to the other, Sabrina had already lost count of how many cigarettes her aunt had smoked while they waited. She was nervous as everyone else was.

They all turned their gaze towards the entrance of the parlor when they heard footsteps approaching. That night there was something different about Sabrina Morningstar but no one was able to identify what it was.

“Blackwood is going to the clearing in the woods.” Were her first words “So we must be quick and be there before him to ambush him.”

The others nodded.

“Good. This is the plan… I’m going to need your help Sabrina,” her double nodded immediately “the rest, I need you to help us to contain Blackwood while we perform the ritual.”

“What ritual?” Sabrina Spellman asked.

“We will combine the powers of the three realms, the mortal, celestial and infernal, to destroy the Eldritch terror.” Sabrina Morningstar explained.

“So you got an angel willing to help us.” Zelda was the one to speak this time before taking another drag of her cigarette.

“I did. The archangel Haniel will help us.”

“That’s amazing.” Ambrose commented “How did you get it?”

“It was the one who answered my call.” She said without giving further explanations.

“Hilda,” Zelda said looking at her sister “Could you stay here looking after Edward?”

She nodded, she knew what her sister was secretly asking her, that she also had everything ready in case they had to take care of some casualties.

“We better get going.” Sabrina Morningstar told them “The hellhounds are about to corner Blackwood.”

The others stood up and formed a circle to hold hands and teleported to the woods. The air was cold in contrast with the warmth of the Spellmans’ parlor.

“It’s time.” Sabrina Spellman said, she gave Nick’s hand a squeeze. He squeezed hers back.

“In any minute.” Sabrina Morningstar spoke “Ambrose, Nick, auntie Zee, Prudence, you take care of Blackwood. You must act fast. He will try to teleport away from here as soon as he sees us.”

The wait was worse than when they were in the Mortuary, every second seemed to stretch like hours and they almost held their breath, waiting until finally Blackwood appeared in front of the altar. They noticed in his eyes that he was preparing to escape as soon as he saw them but Zelda and Nick were quicker and their spells held him in place.

“Oh, my dear Spellmans and company, you never give up.” he said mockingly while trying to move his limbs without results.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me...


	19. Sacrifice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might want to have some tissues close to read this... I'm so sorry!

Sabrina Spellman walked towards Blackwood.

She despised the man, she had never liked him actually. From the beginning she had been able to see under that façade of High Priest, devotee of the Dark Lord, faithful follower of the traditions of the Church of the Night, she had always been able to see the monster that dwelt below the surface and for that he hated her.

“This is the end, _Father_ Blackwood.” She told him, the man had the nerve to laugh in her face but the laugh turned into a wince of pain when the invisible ties of magic that held him in place sank deeper into his skin.

“You can’t stop me. I have the mark of Cain, you can’t kill me! I’m one with the terror!” Blackwood insisted looking at those gathered there, he went suddenly silent when his gaze stopped on the other Sabrina he hadn’t noticed before “How is it possible?” he asked.

“I suppose you didn’t enjoy having to escape from my hellhounds, did you, Father Blackwood?” Sabrina Morningstar asked approaching to him.

“Your hellhounds? Impossible, that would mean...”

“I’m the queen of hell. And this time, there will be no escape for you.”

“You forget that the Eldritch terror inside me is more powerful than anything you two can try to do, girls.” He said struggling against the magic bonds but it was useless, the others had joined and everyone’s combined magic was impossible to break, even for him.

“We are not alone this time.” The queen of hell commented “And, you’re wrong, there is a way to end the with the terrors. And with you.”

She took her place behind Blackwood, her eyes on Sabrina. Suddenly, a blinding ray of light descended from the sky and everyone looked surprised at the angelic figure that appeared before them and stood to the left of the man.

“An angel?” he asked with a bit of mockery in his voice but Sabrina noticed how the color had faded from his cheeks.

Sabrina Morningstar ignored his words and concentrated on establishing a mental connection with her double. She and the archangel already knew what to do, now it was Sabrina Spellman’s turn to know the part she would play.

_I need you to repeat what I’m going to say_ , she told her telepathically.

Sabrina Spellman nodded with her eyes fixed on her. The words sounded old but at the same time known in her mouth, as if they had always been inside her. With each new word she could feel a new energy radiating from her body, she observed her hands, how they seemed iridescent against the light of the rising sun.

A circle of light rose from the ground enclosing them, forming a dome of iridescent light that seemed almost solid.

Sabrina looked back at her family outside the dome. Their faces were a mix of fascination and worry.

“I’m fine.” She muttered to them before turning around, her gaze fixed in Blackwood.

His head suddenly arched back, everyone watched as a dense violet smoke came out of his open mouth, it was so dense that it seemed almost solid, the substance hovered over Blackwood’s head for a second before it launched towards Sabrina Morningstar who continue chanting in low voice. The terror entered to her body with such force that it knocked her down, making her crash against the dome.

“No!” Sabrina Spellman managed to scream breaking the chant.

“Keep going.” The archangel urged her on.

“But…” she looked at Sabrina, struggling to stand up.

“ _Keep_ going.” This time it was Sabrina Morningstar who insisted in a weak voice “I need you to listen to me, Sabrina. You have to finish the ritual.”

“Sabrina…”

“Don’t forget your words and take the spear… and…”

“No!” Sabrina Spellman said shaking her head in a negative gesture, she had a clear idea of what the queen of hell was going to ask of her “No, no, I can’t do it.”

“It’s the only way.”

“No!” she insisted “there must be another way.”

“There isn’t,” Haniel said this time “The Morningstar knew it, and she was willing to do it. Now you must to complete the ritual. You have to kill her and the darkness within her before it’s too late.”

“I can’t.”

“It has to be you…” Sabrina Morningstar insisted, her voice weakening with each passing second, the terror that she struggled to contain inside her began to destroy her from the inside, soon she would not be able to contain it “This is your battle, remember?” she added with a small sad smile on her lips.

Sabrina felt tears pooling in her eyes, she took a deep breath before reaching into her pocket. The spear of Longinus appeared in her hands and then she understood, she understood why Sabrina Morningstar had given it to her hours before. Understood why she had felt that dreadful sensation in the pit of her stomach when she had gone to summon the angel that was now helping them.

She walked slowly to where Sabrina was, past the body of a now unconscious Blackwood, Sabrina Morningstar was sitting on her knees, her hands resting on the ground. She looked in pain.

Sabrina knelt next to her.

“You knew it.” She said in an accusatory tone and Sabrina Morningstar nodded “And you knew if I knew I wouldn’t let you do it.”

“It’s the only way, Sabrina. You must do it, quickly.”

A tear fell from Sabrina Spellman’s eye.

“I’m sorry.” She told her taking the spear hilt.

“Do it.”

Sabrina closed her eyes and stabbed her in the chest, the scream Sabrina Morningstar uttered was not human, it was not her voice, it was the terror. Sabrina Spellman opened her eyes expecting to see her hands stained with blood but there was none.

She held Sabrina while life escaped from her, her eyes started to close. She was aware of the continuous chant of the archangel as it approached to them, she looked how Haniel placed its hands on Sabrina Morningstar’s head. Her body soon burst into a haze of silver dust, at the same time the dome broke in a shower of iridescent lights.

“Is over.” Haniel said looking at Sabrina, she raised her questioning gaze towards the archangel “Her energy has returned to the cosmos.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The Morningstar knew what she was doing by absorbing the terror into her.”

“But now she is…” Sabrina could feel her body shake with sobs. She didn’t want to say the word. She didn’t want to believe it was true.

“She did what needed to be done to save you all.” The archangel said before disappearing with another ray of silver light without further explanations.

“Sabrina!” she was vaguely aware of Nick’s voice calling, of his arms around her, holding her “Are you hurt?” she shook her head absently before turning and taking refuge in his arms.

“I had to do it… I had to… kill her. I didn’t want to…”

“Shh… it’s ok, it’s ok.” He replied stroking her hair.

“Now what do we do with him?” Sabrina heard Prudence ask to someone and reluctantly she pulled away from Nick’s embrace.

They still had to deal with Blackwood.

She took the spear that had fallen to the ground in her hands and stood up, she walked to where Prudence was and handed it to her.

“I think you should do the honors.” She told her, closing the girl’s hand around the hilt, a sad smile on her lips. Prudence nodded.

Sabrina walked back to Nick, he received her in his arms as Prudence approached to Blackwood, she kicked him with her foot waiting for the man to regain consciousness, she wanted to see him in the eyes when she killed him.

She did it again, this time harder and the man reacted with a growl.

“Ambrose.” She asked, her eyes on Blackwood’s face “Would you help me?”

He nodded and went to her side, lifting the semi-unconscious man until he was on his knees, his eyes open.

“Daughter,” Blackwood said “you already know you can’t kill me.”

Prudence smiled at him.

“This,” she said showing him the spear “is the spear of Longinus, I think you are familiar with the story, aren’t you _Father_ Blackwood?” she asked him and she could see the answer on the man’s face.

“Impossible.”

“Goodbye, father.” Prudence told him before stabbing him.

* * *

Sabrina was sitting on her bed, wrapped in her robe, her hair still damp after a long bath, her mind still immersed in the events of that early morning.

Sabrina Morningstar was gone. And it was because of her.

She had killed her.

This was different from killing Agatha to resurrect Tommy, that time she knew there was a way to bring her back to life, she knew it was only a temporary death. It was different from annihilating the angels who had tried to kill all the witches and warlocks of the Academy. She didn’t even remember doing that but at least she knew those witch hunters deserved their death.

And it was certainly much worse than when she had killed her mandrake double. Sabrina Morningstar was not evil. She had sacrificed herself.

For everyone.

And she knew it, she had known all the time what she was going to have to do and she hadn’t told anyone else. Sabrina only could imagine how she had felt, keeping that secret, bearing the weight of her imminent death over her shoulders for hours, maybe days, without telling a single soul. Without any kind of comfort.

_She must have felt so alone_ , she couldn’t help but think, _she must have felt so lonely in hell_.

She never asked her, never spoke to her, never asked her how she really felt, if she was happy with the decision they had made, with her part of the deal. She never asked her how she was doing, if she liked being queen, if it was everything her heart ever wanted.

Something inside her told Sabrina that it was not like that, that the life of a queen was a lonely, loveless one.

“Spellman?”

She tried to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes so Nick wouldn’t see them but he noticed them anyway.

“Hey,” he said sitting next to her on bed, his hand coming up to caress her cheek. She leaned against his palm “Don’t cry.”

She sighed, there was no need to lie to him.

“It’s not your fault, Sabrina.” Nick said looking for her eyes with his but she tried to dodge his gaze “Hey,” he insisted until she looked at him “it’s not your fault. You did nothing wrong.”

“I did.”

“Sabrina…”

“I did.” She insisted “I didn’t worry about her, not like I should have. I just let her be the queen and I came to live my life, not caring if she was doing fine or not, if she was adjusting well to life in hell. I never spoke to her, not really. Nick…”

“Shh…” he hugged her, Sabrina could feel the tears falling freely down her cheeks “Stop blaming yourself, please. It’s not your fault.”

“I can’t. I feel so guilty.”

She felt Nick’s lips on her hair.

“You are not to blame for anything.”

“But… I’m alive and she… she doesn’t exist anymore. There is not even a body to bury.”

“I know, and I know it hurts you, but Sabrina, she wouldn’t like to see you like this.”

“You don’t know…”

“If the case were reversed, would you like…?”

Sabrina denied.

“That’s what I thought.” He replied, pulling away from her to look at her eyes, he wiped the traces of tears from her face “You did what she wanted. And it’s normal for you to be sad, but I don’t want you to feel guilty, because you did nothing wrong.”

“Nick…”

His hand caressed her cheek again.

“You don’t get anything out of continue blaming yourself, what you have to do is to honor her sacrifice, living a good life.”

The young witch nodded, still a bit unsure.

With his hands still cradling her cheeks he leaned forward to kiss her forehead, she closed her eyes at the sweetness of his gesture.

“Now, I think you’d better get dressed before your aunt Hilda comes over and drags us into the kitchen for delaying everyone’s breakfast. Or worse, Ambrose.”

She nodded with a small smile on her lips before getting up and going to her closet, while she was looking for her clothes something else caught her attention. The books that Sabrina Morningstar had sent from hell, she lifted one of them, her fingers caressing the embossed leather cover, surely she needed to return those books.

“Sabrina?” Nick asked at her silence, turning around to see her.

“We must tell them.” He looked at her with a frown, without understanding who she was referring to, she raised the book “The books, we have to return them and… tell them what happened to Sabrina.”

Nick knew she didn’t want to say the name of _who_ they should talk to in deference to him, but he knew very well who she was referring to.

“I’ll go with you.”

“What? No, Nick, no.”

“I’m not going to let you go there alone, Sabrina.”

“And I’m not going to let you go back to that place either.” She replied crossing her arms in front of her chest “I’m perfectly capable of going alone and you know it.”

He sighed.

“I know, Spellman, it’s just that… The idea of you alone there with… _him_.”

Nick didn’t need to say more, she understood what he meant. She knew what were his fears.

“Ambrose.” Sabrina said “Ambrose can come with me.”

* * *

They decided to use one of Dorian’s paintings to go to Pandemonium, Ambrose had the books safely stored in a bag slung over his shoulder.

“Are you sure about this, cousin?” he asked Sabrina. She nodded.

“Come back soon.” Nick asked her.

“I will.” She responded giving him a brief kiss, when she separated from him, she looked at her cousin “Let’s go, Ambrose.”

They walked to the painting, recited the words necessaries and were suddenly sucked into the portal.

“Can I get you a drink while we wait? The house invites.” Dorian Gray said.

“Shut up, Dorian.” Was Nick’s answer. He was to stay right where he was until Sabrina and Ambrose came back safe and sound.

They arrived to the Infernal Palace immediately, reaching the throne room took them only a few minutes. Sabrina stopped in front of the large wooden doors and took a deep breath before opening them.

Lucifer was there, leaning against one side of the throne, he looked at her.

“Ah, there you are, daug…” he stopped suddenly when he saw her more closely “You are not my daughter.”

“No, I’m not.”

“How is possible?” Lucifer asked but he didn’t wait for answer before asking “Where is she? She never misses the morning audiences.”

Sabrina looked back at Ambrose who gave her an encouraging nod.

“She…” Sabrina hesitated for a moment “Sabrina is… dead.”

Lucifer didn’t move a single muscle. There was simply no reaction on his face.

“What did you just say?” he asked after a few awkward seconds of silence.

“Sabrina… She died, defeating Blackwood.”

Their former Dark Lord changed his position but didn’t say anything and Sabrina couldn’t help but wonder if he was affected by the news, even if it was just a little.

“First my son, now my daughter…” she seemed to hear him say in a low voice.

“Lucifer?” Sabrina asked doubtfully if his words were meant for her ears or not.

“You should leave now.” He answered, leaning a little more against the throne “You already said what you came to say.”

“We have some books.” Ambrose told him, speaking for the first time “That Sabrina Morningstar lent us.”

“Hand them over to one of the minions in the hall,” Lucifer replied with a dismissive wave of his hand “Now, I ask you to leave and never come back, Spellmans. You have no business with hell anymore.”

“We have no intention of coming back.” Sabrina answered him simply because she couldn’t let him have the last word, her bravado making a small smile appear on the devil’s lips.

With a last glance towards the throne, Sabrina and Ambrose left the room.

“That was strange.” Her cousin commented.

“Definitely.”

“I still can’t believe that…”

“That he was your feared Dark Lord for so many years?” Ambrose nodded “Meeting him really changes perspective.”

They didn’t have to walk too much before running into one of the minions, who, mistaking Sabrina for the queen, bowed deeply when he saw her.

“No, I’m not the queen… I’m her…” Sabrina stopped. She didn’t know very well how to explain it so she cleared her throat “I have some books I need you to take to the library.”

“Yes, my… _lady_?” the minion said unsure.

Sabrina nodded. Ambrose opened his bag and took the books from it, passing them to the minion who reached out to receive them. It was then, when the books passed in front of her, that Sabrina felt it.

“Wait!” she asked stepping forward to take the books, she felt a strange energy radiating from one of them, as if the book was somehow calling for her, something she hadn’t felt before. She opened the book and started flipping through the pages, looking for something she didn’t know.

“Cousin?” Ambrose questioned confused by her actions but Sabrina didn’t reply, concentrated on looking through the pages of the book.

There, folded between the pages, was a piece of parchment. Sabrina took it, her name was written on it.

And she knew who had left it there. Her name was written with her own handwriting.

“What’s that?” her cousin asked her.

“Something I had forgotten.” Sabrina lied, putting the paper in her jacket pocket. She returned the book to the minion “That would be all.”

The demon bowed awkwardly with the heavy books in his hands before heading towards where she supposed was the library.

“Sabrina…?”

“Let’s go home, Ambrose.” She said.

* * *

Sabrina walked through the trees alone, she knew where her steps where leading her. And to tell the truth, she found it was the appropriated place for what she was going to do.

Nick had noticed her uneasiness after her return from hell so when he asked she had told him about the letter. And when she had told him she wanted to read the it in the woods he had offered to accompany her but she knew she needed to be alone to read it.

So the young witch continued to walk alone until she reached the edge of the clearing, she looked around, under the light of the setting sun the place looked different.

Warmer.

But she knew it wouldn’t last long, Sabrina sat on an old stump and pulled the letter she had been carrying all the day out of her pocket.

Her finger traced the sinuous curve of the _S_ Sabrina Morningstar had written.

She took a deep breath before opening the note.

_Sabrina:_

_By the time you read this I will no longer be part of this world. I don’t want you to feel guilty or_

_responsible for the decision I made, I did it knowing what would happen to me, but it’s worth it if,_

_in the end, all of you manage to be free. To be safe._

_All this time in hell had taught me that while power is attractive, addictive, in the end does not bring happiness._

_Love, love is the only thing that matters, the love of our family, of our friends,_

_of… Nick. Treasure them as I was not able to do._

_I don’t want you to be sad for me, I have come to think that perhaps this was the real reason why we shouldn’t close the loop,_

_to be able to stop all this madness._

_I say goodbye to this life knowing that all of you will be safe and happy,_

_knowing that you will be able to live a long existence in the company of our loved ones._

_Don’t be sad because I will always be with you. I’m a part of you as you are a part of me._

_Sabrina M._

By the time Sabrina finished reading, the tears were falling freely from her eyes, she folded the letter and raised her face to look at the setting sun. Soon it would be dark but she wanted to stay there a little longer.

“I’m sorry.” She couldn’t help but whisper to the wind.

“ _Don’t be_.” The wind seemed to answer her, she felt a warm breeze caressing her cheeks, erasing her tears.

“Sabrina?” the young witch asked but received no answer and yet she felt, in her heart, that Sabrina Morningstar was there. In the wind, in the fallen leaves, in the sunlight and the ground. Everywhere.

A small smile reached her lips. While she knew the sadness would not go away so easily, she felt calmer knowing that Sabrina had not simply vanished into nothingness. She was there, she would always be there. Next to her.

A part of her.

Sabrina put the note in her pocket and stood up to make her way back to the Mortuary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is only one chapter left before this story ends, so let me know what you think of this one.   
> I'm really sorry about killing Sabrina Morningstar, even though it was always part of the plan, her part in this story switched while writing and I ended up, as many of you, liking her a lot more than I expected and it was really sad to me to say goodbye to her.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think of this.


End file.
